What Role Will Artificial Intelligence Have In Building Security? One Expert Weighs In

Artificial intelligence is redefining technological capabilities across commercial real estate and other industries to enhance day-to-day business operations, manage customer relationships and improve productivity. 

While just 6% of companies reported using AI only seven years ago, the adoption of this technology has been rapid, as it is estimated today that more than 50% of large companies have integrated AI into their business practices. In addition, 60% of large companies plan on investing at least $1M annually in AI, signifying confidence in the technology. 

In the security sector, the narrative of widespread AI adoption rings particularly true. The power of AI is already being harnessed to make buildings safer through tools such as facial authentication technology, behavioral analytics and anomaly detection. 

Although many security professionals recognize the benefits that AI brings to the table, others worry that AI may be more detrimental than helpful, and others might be interested if it were simpler to implement, citing cost as the No.1 barrier to adoption.

Neerja Bajaj, vice president of product and innovation at Brivo, a global leader in cloud-based access control and smart building technology, acknowledged that AI may seem daunting to some. But she predicted it will become as ubiquitous as email and the internet, leaving people to ask, “How did we ever exist without it?”

“Humans have traditionally excelled at learning and generating new ideas, and now algorithms can do the same,” Bajaj said. “AI is expected to significantly accelerate innovation and economic growth.”

Three main types of AI are being applied in the building security industry: analytic, predictive and generative, Bajaj said. Analytic AI learns from the data that’s already available, searching for patterns or trends to make decisions based on what it has learned. An example is face detection technology in video surveillance.

Predictive AI, on the other hand, analyzes the patterns emerging from the presented data to make informed predictions, with an example being threat intelligence technology. This is when AI aggregates and analyzes security data to stay ahead of emerging threats and potential vulnerabilities. 

“Predictive AI is still advancing, and its impact on physical security systems is anticipated to be significant,” Bajaj said. “By leveraging datasets to minimize biases, predictive AI can enhance threat detection, optimize resource allocation and improve response times.”

Lastly, generative AI, or models that learn the context of security data and generate humanlike interactions, is implemented through tools like human-guided threat responses or automated helplines. 

“This is still an area we’re exploring, but essentially if we see a threat happen or if a security incident were to occur, an AI model could potentially talk to the people at the doors to guide them through what to do next in a scary situation,” she said.

Bajaj said that while it is clear that predictive and generative AI are where the future lies, there is a large emphasis on analytic AI now, specifically in the video and access control space. 

“Video surveillance has become a big focus because of the amount of data it has and the frames that it captures,” she said. “There’s also significant progress being made on the access control side of the equation, with AI using facial recognition and analytics to control who has access to enter and leave a space.”

Not all is smooth sailing, however. 

Brivo’s latest security trends report took a deep dive into the implications of AI and found that only 36% of respondents were confident in their company’s ability to understand AI and automation. Along with the worry of high costs associated with adopting AI tools, 45% expressed concern regarding data privacy and limited professional knowledge in this area of expertise.

“It may take time for some to warm up to the idea of AI because right now it’s still this buzzword that’s getting a lot of attention. People are still learning about it,” Bajaj said. “AI is not out to take our jobs. It’s about making people more efficient, more productive and working toward a bigger goal.”

To help ease some of the concerns regarding this technology, several states have introduced regulations concerning AI’s impact on data privacy, as it has been noted that there is no comprehensive federal legislation around AI. These regulations include the Connecticut Privacy Act and the California Consumer Privacy Act.

Bajaj said the U.S. still has a ways to go from a regulatory standpoint but is taking steps in the right direction. 

“There’s a lot of regulations being introduced which will allow this data to be used in a more anonymized and secure way,” she said. “These measures will serve as protective guidelines, fostering adoption in certain domains sooner than others.”

In addition to implementing regulations, Bajaj said that the industry is seeing more advanced technologies emerge to safeguard privacy, such as replacing facial recognition with heat map tech. 

But as with any technology, it will take time to mature and demonstrate clear use cases, she said. 

Bajaj said at Brivo, the team seeks to always go above and beyond when it comes to data privacy. This means thinking about where security data is stored, who has access to this data and what data is shared. 

“The widespread adoption of anonymized data will likely bolster its effectiveness, transforming how security systems operate in real-world environments,” she said.

Looking forward, Bajaj said that the potential of this technology will be immense, and once it becomes established, it will be used as a core day-to-day function.

“I am truly bullish on this technology,” she said. “The industry holds vast amounts of physical space data, thanks to all of the IoT devices. AI will harness the data to revolutionize how we use and experience the space.”

This article was produced in collaboration between Brivo and Studio B. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.