Video surveillance solutions have been a staple of modern security systems since CCTV was first invented in the 1940s. While they’ve been invaluable in keeping buildings and people safe, they’ve had one significant disadvantage: reliance on in-person monitoring. For video surveillance to stop an incident effectively, someone had to actively watch what was happening on-screen, leaving a lot of room for error and inefficiency.
More often, video surveillance became an investigation tool, allowing authorities to review recorded footage after an event, but it did little proactively to stop a security breach.
But AI and machine learning are changing that. Advances in these technologies are making video surveillance systems more efficient, accurate, and capable of identifying threats in real time — even without active human monitoring. Learn how AI transforms video surveillance and why it’s become a game-changer for modern security.
How AI Is Enhancing Modern Video Surveillance Solutions
Bringing AI and machine learning to video surveillance solutions creates a system that can analyze footage independently and help security teams respond to events faster. Here are seven ways AI is making video surveillance better than ever:
Object Detection
AI-powered systems can identify different objects, including people, pets, vehicles, and packages. This can reduce false alerts, such as those triggered by wind or shadows, and make it easier to respond to potential threats.
Behavior Analysis
Advanced systems use machine learning to analyze human behavior, making it easier for the system to identify suspicious activity. For example, the system might pick up on someone lingering in a restricted area longer than average. It can then alert the security team to check things out.
Facial Recognition
Modern surveillance can identify people based on their facial features. This is especially useful in high-security environments, where the system can check faces against a database of known personnel or persons of interest. It can also be integrated with access control systems.
Crowd Analysis
AI can monitor the density and movement of people in a crowded space, such as a busy lobby or a live event. It can look for anomalies like the crowd suddenly dispersing and alert security teams while helping plan for foot traffic to allocate security resources more effectively.
Faster Video Search
Traditional video surveillance systems required authorities to spend hours combing through footage to find what they needed. AI can help security teams quickly search vast amounts of video data using keywords, times, or object types, finding the footage they need much faster.
Intrusion Detection
AI-powered surveillance is excellent at detecting unauthorized entry. It can analyze an area and note when someone enters a restricted area or breaches a security line — an invaluable tool for protecting high-security facilities and critical infrastructure.
Automated Notifications
When AI identifies an unusual event or potential threat, it can send an instant notification to security personnel, resulting in a much faster response time and minimizing the risk and damage of a security breach.
The Benefits of Using AI in Video Surveillance
AI-powered video surveillance solutions enhance security in a way traditional systems cannot. Enhanced security isn’t the only benefit, though. These systems can also help save your security team time while reducing certain operational expenses.
Traditional surveillance systems can be falsely triggered by non-threatening events, like a shadow moving across the screen, an animal or bird passing through, or wind blowing an object around. AI systems reduce these false alarms by accurately telling the difference between a real threat and harmless on-screen activity. Security personnel are only alerted when genuine threats are present, saving them from spending time on false alarms.
AI can even help with preventative security. Machine learning offers predictive analysis, allowing the system to determine when a potential threat is developing. For example, the system may note someone frequently visiting an unauthorized area and flag it for further investigation. That way, security teams can avoid potential risks and prevent security breaches.
While there is an initial cost to installing, implementing, and training your teams on AI-powered surveillance systems, there are also cost savings. AI can monitor multiple cameras and locations simultaneously, 24/7, without getting tired. No activity goes unnoticed. That means you have real-time monitoring around the clock without increasing the number of security personnel on staff. They can work with the AI system to respond to events that require human intervention.
Work With Ariel Integrate AI Into Video Surveillance System
Incorporating AI into security strategy can enhance the security of a high-risk facility and reduce the burden on its security personnel. Ariel Secure Technologies can design and implement a custom solution that meets specific security needs and integrates with the rest of the security infrastructure. We’ll also train the team to make the most of the new system. Contact us today to learn how AI can become a valued partner in keeping facilities safe.
