AI and the cloud, two terms currently dominating security discussions, have direct, practical applications in the security landscape. The rapid rise of AI is reshaping the global security landscape, while cloud services are experiencing a surge in investment. It's crucial for security professionals, especially those new to AI or cloud-based solutions, to understand the end-user application of these technologies in security. Their increasing adoption within security strategies presents opportunities and challenges, making it essential to understand why they are a force for good in the field. Security professionals can stay informed and knowledgeable in their field by understanding these practical applications.
Whether it’s a global manufacturer needing to manage and analyze vast amounts of video data in real-time or a large commercial retail chain requiring the capability to monitor access control and streamline security operations, cloud and AI-powered solutions are not just significant, but urgent. When humans cannot review hundreds of hours of video footage or access control data without errors, new solutions are increasingly necessary for organizations to function. Leveraging these advanced technologies isn't just a 'nice-to-have' for security—it's becoming a necessity, a crucial step in ensuring the safety and security of our digital world.
It's All About the Data
Regardless of an organization’s strategic goals, the first step is to recognize the intrinsic importance of its security data, whether collected via access control systems, surveillance cameras, or sensors. Data is the foundation on which AI and the cloud operate, and the better the storage of this data, the more effective both will be. It's our responsibility as security professionals to adopt a data-first approach, enabling better interpretation and leverage of the data to maximize security outcomes.
SOC teams working with video surveillance, access control and intrusion detection tools can perform their roles more efficiently, quickly and accurately with AI, where they can analyze far more data than has ever been practical or possible with human eyes and intellect alone. Cloud enables scalability and flexibility with data, providing a secure place to be held and analyzed to provide ideal security outcomes. From threat scenarios to the everyday workings of an organization’s space, integrating AI and the cloud leads to higher quality, less-error-prone responses.
The AI-Powered Video Surveillance and Access Control Revolution
From healthcare facilities to offices to sports arenas, AI-powered video surveillance and access control tools are making solutions faster and smarter. They enable end-users to understand and manage their spaces better than ever and respond to threats as they happen.
As a support to human-led security architecture, AI has become invaluable. At many large sporting venues, organizers are now utilizing AI-powered software to analyze images captured by thousands of cameras in real-time, trained to recognize and send alerts to human handlers to note pre-defined unusual behavior or objects. Whether it be an individual acting unusually, a crowd forming in an unexpected place, an object removed from a space, or something left behind, cameras can flag it at a much greater scale and pace than ever. The scalability of AI, from an office to an 80,000-seat stadium, is almost limitless.
The real upheaval is the introduction of “AI on the edge,” the infusion of AI into cameras, granting them deep learning abilities and the power to analyze video without human intervention. Working with access control devices in an Internet of Things (IoT) network to deliver an outcome, AI on the edge is removing friction from access control and video surveillance.
Applications of AI in security continue to be explored across organizational contexts. When a courier visits a building with AI-enabled access control and video surveillance systems, credentials could be assigned to their appearance so that only certain doors may be unlocked and individuals automatically notified, reducing the need for human security supervision. Again, the scalability is important here: imagine couriers entering the building at rush hour when their identity must be recognized amongst a sea of individual faces, all with different access rights. Technology exists to recognize and categorize all, rather than recognize, reducing the possibility of human error. Tying this capability with privacy, this information can be anonymized or completely removed when no longer needed.
AI-powered access control also has advantages in sustainability, going beyond simple security solutions. If a preset number of vehicles exits a parking garage, AI-supported ventilation systems could be automatically turned off, reducing a building's energy cost and environmental impact. Similarly, AI-powered access control can enable offices to automate lighting and climate control usage. Use cases like this continue to be devised for the end-user, showing AI is continually redefining security solutions with human ingenuity.
Moreover, AI's all-important “I” will only improve as systems continue to learn. Machine learning models continuously improve by learning from past incidents and taking in data in real time. AI is here, and it’s here to stay.
AI & The Cloud
Alongside the rise of AI, integrating cloud services is crucial for powering advanced data analytics. Organizations can enhance their operational efficiencies by utilizing cloud-based platforms, enabling them to process and analyze data at unprecedented speeds and scales.
The Cloud technology now enables security teams to oversee and control systems from any location in real-time and, if needed, send mass alerts or notifications. Smart office spaces increasingly employ cloud-based access control systems that are far more scalable and resilient than systems using physical data storage and enable adaptable management of entry permissions, ensuring only authorized personnel gain access to specific areas. Imagine security professionals having the power to monitor and control systems from anywhere, responding instantly to irregularities and threats with the touch of a button. The cloud provides that.
SOC teams can convert real-time data into actionable insights with pace and efficiency using the cloud, whether tracking entries to an organization’s network of global offices or analyzing patterns of employee access to particular spaces. Integrating security with other smart building technologies, such as HVAC and fire detection, creates a unified and efficient management ecosystem, enhancing overall operational efficiency and security.
The cloud in physical security is an exciting space as, like AI, its application and scaling opportunities continue to be explored across industries. Hospitals and healthcare facilities can utilize cloud-based security solutions to monitor and manage access to sensitive areas, enhancing patient safety and protecting valuable medical assets. Universities employ cloud-native access control systems to secure student residences, laboratories, classrooms and administrative buildings, and update credentials immediately when needed. Large manufacturing plants adopt cloud security solutions to safeguard production areas and warehouses, with AI-driven analytics optimizing security protocols.
The introduction of the cloud is directly benefiting consumer spaces too. In retail, national chains leverage cloud-based video surveillance and access control to reduce theft and improve security across hundreds of store locations, minimizing the investment required in physical security measures. Hotels and hospitality companies are beginning to use cloud security solutions to enhance guest safety and secure hotel premises, providing real-time alerts and data analytics to improve overall security and operational efficiency.
Embracing Open Standards
As these changes are monumental for the field, it is also vital to ensure interoperability between systems, especially at the scale at which AI and the cloud can operate. Allowing solutions to interact with various devices and systems seamlessly enhances flexibility, enabling organizations to continue utilizing a broader spectrum of products and services while migrating capabilities. Open standards ensure that these capabilities are accessible and scalable, facilitating the deployment of innovative security solutions that are robust and adaptable to evolving security challenges.
The Data-Fueled, AI-Powered, Cloud-Supported Future of Security
We are nearing a scenario in which a family travels to a city to watch a sporting event, and AI and the cloud support their security at every step of the way—from the airport to the hotel, to the restaurant, to the stadium.
These are no longer just technologies with peripheral applicability but are becoming fundamental to the evolution of modern security practices. As AI transforms the security landscape, it brings unprecedented capabilities in data analysis and real-time response, making security systems more efficient and effective.
Organizations can better manage and leverage their security information by adopting a data-first approach, ensuring higher quality and reliability. AI-powered tools, such as those used in video surveillance and access control, are essential in responding to threats quickly and accurately, reducing human error, and supporting proactive measures through predictive analytics. The rise of cloud services further amplifies these benefits, offering scalable and flexible solutions that enhance operational efficiencies and enable remote management. Throughout this, interoperability remains vital to maintaining a coherent security ecosystem. Failing to build AI and cloud innovations into the architecture of future security systems will mean missing the full potential of collected data.
As AI and cloud technologies advance, their integration into security practices will become increasingly crucial. This will transform how organizations protect their assets and respond to emerging threats. Embracing these technologies is about staying current and equipping security systems with the tools needed for a safer and more efficient future.
