Like many tech-driven industries, the security industry is undergoing a massive transition \u2013 most of which is powered by Artificial Intelligence. This is not breaking news; after all, in 2024, the Security Industry Association devoted the first four of its 10 annual \u201cmegatrends\u201d to AI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But while it isn\u2019t breaking news that the industry is adapting to the use of AI in technology, the executives running security integration and consulting firms have probably felt like a leaf in a windstorm, being tossed about by what seems like daily technology innovations that greatly impact both their customers and their own businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It isn\u2019t enough to know how AI will work for video analytics; now they need to know how it works across the gamut of all security and even non-security technologies. Even more daunting, these seasoned executives are now being told that failure to implement AI from an internal operations basis means they are behind the curve \u2013 a sure path to eventual perish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The most immediate and widespread impact of AI is transforming how security integrators run their own businesses internally. The time savings are substantial. Castillo shares a striking example: \u201cWe had a project manager use Microsoft Copilot to generate a schedule in about three minutes that traditionally would have taken about three hours.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nemerofsky describes how AI handles routine tasks: \u201cIf every Monday they need to have a purchasing report or a pricing report done, we don\u2019t do that anymore.\u201d Instead, Nemerofsky has turned to AI-powered sales software called RapidFlare to take care of these tasks. \u201cIt continues to learn and take away the B tasks,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lanning says her engineers are using generative AI tools to assist with tasks ranging from crafting scope-of-work verbiage, to searching for comparative part numbers to replace obsolete components, to power calculations. And the benefits of generative AI extend across multiple departments: \u201cOur accounting team loves it,\u201d she says. \u201cThey\u2019ve been using it to help with collection letters, understanding legal terms, and creating collection processes and escalations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Castillo echoes this widespread internal adoption: \u201cIt is pervasive. We are using it across the board \u2013 from how to generate better cash flow forecasts, to automation workflows, to writing better emails, and building work documents.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The efficiencies created by AI makes things faster, but more importantly, it is giving human talent the bandwidth to focus on higher-value work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe routine, low-knowledge, low-skill tasks that we just have to do on a day-to-day basis are the greatest opportunity [for AI],\u201d Castillo says. \u201cThat gives us back time so that our folks are not using their powerful minds on routine things that require little skill.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Adds Nemerofsky: \u201cNow our coordinators can be more customer-focused and more employee-focused, doing the A-type work we wanted them to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beyond the back office, as customer interest in AI functionality piques, it has moved from a pie-in-the-sky idea to meaningful purchase orders. This means integrators must fundamentally change how they engage with their clients to create deeper, more consultative relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Castillo observes a clear market shift: \u201cWhat was just interest a couple of years ago has now turned into purchase orders,\u201d he says. \u201cMost of our customers \u2013 primarily in the enterprise space \u2013 now understand the force multiplier that AI can be, and they want to leverage it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Leveraging it for customers means understanding the greater impact of the technology; in fact, the AI technology\u2019s significance to the security department may actually become secondary to the impact it has on an overall enterprise operation. This means Castillo must \u201cget into a deeper relationship with customers to understand their business more holistically than we ever have \u2013 because it is not just a security system, it is a business system that customers can leverage to make money, save money, and reduce risk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In turn, this deeper engagement extends beyond traditional security stakeholders. \u201cI love to at least engage or invite to the table folks from sales, marketing, and operations and explain how they can leverage the investment in the security system,\u201d Castillo adds. \u201cIt ends up being a win-win.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For integration company staff experts, the consultative approach is paramount for AI evaluation and deployment. \u201cThe average clients who don\u2019t have a technology lead are overwhelmed by options,\u201d Nemerofsky says. \u201cOur role is to be a guide or an architect on how this is going to look, how it aligns with their tech stack, and dealing with the IT environment and with business objectives. It\u2019s not just something new and shiny.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SAGE and Nemerofsky champion the embedded model for integration for this very reason. \u201cHaving embedded people is a huge advantage, because you understand your client\u2019s tech stack better than they understand it, or at least as well as they understand it,\u201d Nemerofsky says. \u201cYou are better able to be a resource and a consultant to a client when you are embedded.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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