Comparing what traditional electronic security systems are capable of to what can be done today is like drizzle versus a torrential downpour.
Most who know me or have worked with me would undoubtedly characterize my temperament as being somewhat reserved, with a calm, cool demeanor.
Some, like certain spouses, might at times say too much so!
But, fortunately for me, this personality type is prevalent in security, and it’s one of the reasons I have felt so at home for so many years in this wonderful industry.
However, those who witnessed my reaction when Elite Interactive Solutions was named winner of The Monitoring Association (TMA)’s 2024 Monitoring Technology Marvel Award definitely saw me lose my composure a bit when I accepted on behalf of my current company.
It was truly an honor just to be a finalist in a field that included prominent players Rapid Response Monitoring and Stealth Monitoring. Anyone wondering where the industry is heading need only look to these companies, which share the common thread of emphasizing video-centric solutions — two of them specializing in remote video guarding.
That trend sweeping through the industry was evident at the recent Electronic Security Expo (ESX), which was held for the second year in a row in Louisville, Ky.
While this century’s advances, including digital video and networked video, propelled video surveillance to high prominence and profitability for our industry, the past few years’ refinement of video analytics and a surge in AI implementation has sped up the security industry’s traditionally slow and deliberate pace of change.
Security Disruption is Evolutionary
I am not among those who deride security for lagging behind other industries in adopting leading-edge technology. The very nature of security and life safety — to protect life and property — is antithetical to rapid, wholesale shifts.
By design, disruption in security will always be more evolutionary than revolutionary. But it’s all connected. And so, as the speed of overall technological development accelerates for humankind, so, too, does it accelerate for security.
This is a game-changing proposition because technology is finally enabling security practitioners — working within a proper organizational framework — to cross over from deterrence to prevention.
Think about your own business or family: Would you feel better about (a) making it more difficult for an intruder or criminal to inflict harm or (b) making it nearly impossible, while also greatly increasing the likelihood of capture?
Comparing what traditional electronic security systems are capable of to what can be accomplished today by incorporating AI-fortified video, noise reduction and data is akin to a drizzle versus a torrential downpour. Is your company positioned to ride this wave, or will you drown in the flood of new business?
Most of the many presenters, exhibitors and attendees with whom I interacted at ESX seemed eager to stop treading water and swim like fish toward this exciting new security paradigm.
The OpenXchange general session that kicked off the conference helped set the tone. Moderator and SSI Industry Hall of Famer George De Marco picked the brains of thought leaders Dean Drako (CEO, Eagle Eye Networks), David Selinger (CEO, Deep Sentinel) and Marty Guay (vice president, business development, Stanley Black & Decker).
Their discussion of transformative AI and video monitoring was underscored by that day’s announcement of Eagle Eye acquiring Cobalt AI, a provider of AI alarm filtering, remote monitoring and security robot solutions.
Ideally suited to follow that was an education session that I helped organize, “Video Surveillance and Monitoring in the Age of Intelligent Security.” Moderated by Cameron Fleck (NewVision Security), with panelists Scott Blakeman (Elite Interactive Solutions) and Brian Karas (Pelican Zero), the 75-minute presentation defined remote video monitoring, its use cases, pricing models/ROI, forensic site design, false alarm elimination and ongoing maintenance/service.
The well-attended and interactive session emphasized that remote video monitoring is compelling not only as an effective and efficient security and crime-prevention solution but also as a provider pathway to earn substantially higher recurring revenue per account than standard security monitoring services offer.
Going from that session to the opening of ESX’s exhibits further reinforced our industry’s inevitable AI-infused video future. It was impossible not to notice the rise in outright remote video monitoring exhibitors, as well as others focusing on AI and/or video related to their particular offerings.
As host of this event, the Electronic Security Association (ESA), as well as other leading trade organizations, such as the Security Industry Association (SIA) and TMA, deserve credit for promoting these breakthrough offerings.
If you enjoyed this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our FREE digital newsletters!
