AUSTIN, TEXAS – The dawn of artificial intelligence in the physical security industry could mean that days are numbered for video management software, as it will be replaced by "an AI security and safety system," Eagle Eye Networks CEO Dean Drako says.
Traditional video surveillance systems will record video footage but also do a lot more to enhance safety and security, Drako explains. This shift reflects the fact that customers are less interested in video and more concerned about preventing and addressing security issues.
Leveraging machine learning, algorithms, and computer vision, AI safety and security systems will efficiently process and interpret video content, enabling real-time threat detection. These AI-driven security systems are set to become the norm, delivering what Drako describes as "intelligent, proactive solutions that minimize problems and enhance overall security across all types of businesses."
AI will require security integrators and executives to become more engaged with the industry end-users operated in, focusing on designing solutions to their and challenges, he says. The ability of cameras to transmit and connect over cellular lines and connect to the cloud, making video available from anywhere without bridges or other hardware, is key.
“What happens is the VMS goes away,” Drako told integrators during the Cloud Security Summit hosted by Eagle Eye Networks and Brivo. “No customer wants a video management system. If you go to a customer and say, ‘What do you want your video system to do?’ they don’t say, ‘I really want to manage my video. I really want to record video.’
“They have to manage their business. We’re not going to be selling VMS to customers any longer with AI. The VMS of today will evolve into an AI-powered security and safety system. We'll be able to watch the cameras, send alerts, notify them that something needs attention, and the business owner or security practitioner can take action.”
Eagle Eye and Brivo are “making tremendous investments” in AI teams, code, algorithms and data centers to capitalize on the benefits of cloud technology and AI.
There will be challenges for companies incorporating AI into verticals to offer practical solutions, Drako acknowledges, but he feels the growing pains with the technology will be worth it for integrators. For example, he notes Eagle Eye is working on an AI application that monitors whether workers are wearing protective gear on construction sites.
“You put up cameras and it starts to work, but then the alerts come, and what do you do with them when you find somebody who's not wearing the right gear? The hard hat/protective equipment detection AI video analytics and alerts are more accurate and less time-consuming than manual hard-hat checks. They give the business the ability to comply with safety regulations and proactively maintain the highest job site safety,” Drako explains.
“You see these problems, but you get more engaged in your customer's business and solving real problems for them. The value that you're bringing to the customer is much higher, and the amount of revenue and the price point also goes up. I think that will transform this industry into a much bigger industry than it is today.”
Drako also touched on the significance of SECOM’s $192 million investment in Eagle Eye and Brivo, announced earlier this year. SECOM is the dominant security company in Japan with a market share of about 50%. Drako says the company’s research determined cloud technology would soon become the “ dominant force” in the physical security market, and further analysis pointed to Eagle Eye and Brivo being the best leaders in that space.
Eagle Eye Networks plans use the investment for continued development of its AI-based analytics capabilities such as Eagle Eye Smart Video Search, Smart Alarms, and Vehicle Intelligence, and to expand its worldwide operations.
Brivo will use the investment to grow sales and marketing, accelerate product development and scale support and operational functions, and evaluate strategic acquisitions. Brivo will also continue expanding in Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific, and enhance the smart spaces and AI functionality in the Brivo Access Platform for its enterprise, multifamily and commercial real estate customers.
“Everything under the sun is getting an upgrade program. “We’re going to make our foundation even stronger and even more durable,” Drako told attendees. “The vision of both Eagle Eye and Brivo has always been the same. Fundamentally the business is going to move from on-prem to a cloud-based solution. That's kind of inevitable as a vision.”
