In case you haven’t noticed, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is all the rage these days. Movies like “Ex Machina” and “Her” have explored just how far this technology can go, and with businesses always looking for an edge over the competition, it’s no wonder that some are exploring its potential security benefits. But, is AI really that great for business security?
Let’s take a look.
In this blog, we’ll cover four different aspects of artificial intelligence and how they affect security professionals and their companies:
These elements can provide real, trackable security solutions in the future. But before going any further, let’s ground ourselves in what artificial intelligence is and how it functions in security and surveillance.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines artificial intelligence as:
“The capacity of computers or other machines to exhibit or simulate intelligent behavior”
In the realm of security and surveillance, AI technology is being used to detect anomalies and abnormal behavior to prevent crimes, theft, and incidents from occurring in a variety of industries. The technology provides intelligent video analytics to surveillance systems that just isn’t possible with your standard surveillance camera.
It’s like adding a team of security nerds to your camera feeds and telling them what footage is relevant and what’s not.
If we look at the ‘old-fashioned’ surveillance model, where real, human security operators were responsible for reviewing all footage and finding incidents, what would we see?
Well for one, no human is perfect, especially when faced with an endlessly boring and monotonous task. This is why, prior to intelligent video analytics, there were more missed reports or incidents, slower response times, and higher insurance and liability costs. These types of human errors leave companies more exposed to threats, decrease customer satisfaction and safety, and require more time and resources to solve.
In today’s surveillance climate, AI surveillance systems are deployed to decipher, detect and flag the erratic behavior or transactions that humans may have missed.
New AI surveillance technology doesn’t just reduce error. It saves time, too. Automated tools can now collect and analyze massive amounts of complex data related to parking occupancy, traffic monitoring, customer behavior patterns, and vehicle analytics that would take the standard human security operator years to compile.
Ah, the blessings of technology…
Another major benefit of using AI surveillance tools is faster response times in times of crisis. When an unexpected event occurs, you won’t have to rely on your cat-like reflexes or CIA-level sleuth skills to save the day.
With real-time analysis of the footage and the ability to automate responses, threats and issues can be spotted more quickly and accurately. And we all know, a quicker response improves safety and security, as well as increases ROI.
Staying ahead of the game and being proactive in VMS monitoring goes well beyond maintaining a strong security environment. Outside of just alerting VMS admins or operators when intrusions take place, AI platforms can send intuitive alerts about other potential issues too.
AI cameras can help identify more out-of-the-box safety concerns, such as:
The capabilities of AI surveillance are rapidly advancing, so AI tools will not fall short as your VMS system also grows and scales.
Some people argue that Artificial Intelligence is an invasive presence in every aspect of our lives. We believe that in a rapidly evolving field, it’s important to stay in the loop as new technology emerges to evaluate and address the concerns that are out there.
The primary concerns with artificial intelligence in the video surveillance industry fall into three categories:
AI algorithms to track customers are intuitive and useful, but not always unbiased. Algorithms are only as ethical as the people who build them, so it’s possible that bias and discrimination can manifest in systems that are trained to target people based on ethnicity, gender, and physical appearance
With the collection and storage of massive amounts of personal data, there are many legitimate concerns regarding possible data leaks and cybersecurity hacks.
The possibilities with artificial intelligence are expanding every day, and evolution can be hard to keep up with. Those with the most comprehensive understanding of AI and its potential are mostly within the tech industry and AI knowledge is limited to a small percentage of the general public. This is why we believe there needs to be a larger movement towards educating the public about AI: its benefits, and its challenges. What is really AI and what is really just marketing…
It’s clear that AI technology in the video security industry is definitely not taking the shape that is presented to us in movies like Ex Machina or Her, and you shouldn’t expect to fall in love with a robot in the next few years. *sigh*
But the AI possibilities that lie ahead are exciting, and there’s still so much to learn. Whether you are looking to reduce the amount of human error in detecting incidents, increase response times, reduce liability, or boost your ROI, AI video tools are proving to be strong solutions.
Conversations about new technology are always important, so we must ask our fellow VMS nerds out there:
What are your thoughts on Artificial Intelligence?
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