The market for video monitoring systems, used to protect property, is growing dynamically, recording annual sales increases of 30 percent. Such growth is not only the result of increased functionality of these systems, but also the growing costs associated with employing security staff. Another significant change is the increasing use of artificial intelligence in the process of analyzing and interpreting images from surveillance cameras.
Video surveillance is taking a larger share of security services. It operates around the clock, requires supervision from fewer people, and can be used in hard-to-reach locations.
– Video monitoring services are becoming increasingly popular – says Adam Śliwiński, Vice President of the Management Board of Seris Konsalnet. – Their sales are growing at 30 percent year on year, so the growth is constantly accelerating. This is due to the annual increases in labor costs (including physical security costs) and the increasing automation and functionality through the use of artificial intelligence.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly important role in modern video surveillance systems, enabling more advanced and effective operation. Below are a few specific functions and capabilities that AI offers in the field of visual monitoring:
Object and Person Recognition: AI-based monitoring systems can identify and recognize objects, animals, vehicles, and people. These functions allow for precise and targeted actions in case of specific threat detection.
Behavior Analysis: AI can analyze the behavior of objects and individuals, detecting suspicious or unusual activity. For example, the system can send an alarm when it detects abandoned baggage or if someone stays in a specific area for an unusually long time, which may indicate that, for example, they are surveilling our home.
Face Recognition: Face recognition is one of the most advanced AI features in visual monitoring. These systems can identify people based on their facial features, which can be used to track individuals, control access to secure areas, or identify suspects.
License Plate Recognition: This functionality is already quite common, for example, in shopping malls. Video surveillance systems can read license plates, which is useful in parking lots, access control systems, or traffic monitoring.
Anomaly Detection: Artificial intelligence can analyze images in real-time, identifying anomalies in a given environment. A good example is detecting when a vehicle is moving the wrong way on a highway or a one-way street.
Filtering False Alarms: Thanks to advanced machine learning algorithms, AI-based monitoring systems can effectively eliminate false alarms, reducing the number of unnecessary notifications for operators (police or security agencies).
The introduction of artificial intelligence to video surveillance systems contributes to improved effectiveness, precision and response time to potential threats. This is particularly important in the context of ensuring safety and protection. The constantly increasing functionality of video surveillance systems due to the creativity of their creators increases their popularity and potential applications.
Future of Visual Systems
– Artificial intelligence will continue to play a key role in video analysis, enabling more advanced functions – says Adam Śliwiński. – We expect AI to support data processing on end devices, for example, on smartphones or tablets that the security personnel carry.
Adam Śliwiński points out that another direction where AI will play a significant role is the development of predictive systems. Monitoring systems may start using more advanced predictive algorithms that analyze historical data and use it to forecast potential threats. As the complexity level of the systems increases and they connect to the internet, the issues related to cybersecurity in the monitoring systems become critical, and AI development can be parallel to more advanced security technologies.
The impact on traditional physical security services could be significant. The main benefit is the automation of many tasks, which in turn will allow for focusing on high-responsibility and high-value tasks. Physical security may evolve to handle tasks aimed at managing crisis situations, responding to emergencies or cooperating with technology for more effective problem-solving.
However, it is important to remember that technology often complements rather than replaces traditional physical security services, creating more effective and integrated security systems. The ultimate factor in security, at least for now, remains the human being and their decisions.
