Genetec Inc., widely recognised for its expertise in enterprise physical security software, has released predictions for the state of the physical security industry by 2026.
The key areas of focus include the evolution of cloud adoption, the role of open architecture solutions, advances in intelligent automation, and the ongoing prioritisation of cybersecurity and access control.
Cloud adoption trends
By 2026, organisations are expected to further refine their approach to cloud technology, prioritising solutions that offer scalability and flexible deployment options.
Decision-makers will tailor each workload to match their unique needs regarding performance, cost, and data residency. Companies will select on-premises, cloud, or hybrid setups based on their specific operational demands.
Open architecture solutions
The move towards open architecture solutions will empower users to integrate devices and applications that best serve their operational needs, thereby extending the life of existing infrastructure.
This approach offers a stark contrast to proprietary systems that impose limitations and create vendor lock-in, ensuring users maintain flexibility and control. Vendors featuring extensive deployment options and cross-environment interoperability will likely meet these demands efficiently.
Intelligent automation advances
The focus on AI and large language models (LLMs) will shift towards intelligent automation
As 2026 approaches, the focus on AI and large language models (LLMs) will shift towards intelligent automation (IA), which promises tangible, outcome-focused benefits. IA will automate repetitive duties, enhance monitoring precision, and extract significant insights from data.
Features like advanced search tools will help accelerate investigations, minimise false alarms, and improve situational awareness. Ultimately, by reducing manual workload, IA will enable operators to dedicate their resources to tasks necessitating human judgment.
Emphasising cybersecurity
With advancing market trends, there will be a greater demand for transparency in AI usage and data handling. Users are likely to require vendors to prioritise cybersecurity and apply IA features in a safe and accountable manner. The industry's focus will shift from innovation for novelty’s sake to embracing solutions that deliver verifiable, meaningful results.
Modernising access control
Access control remains critical as businesses update legacy systems to maximise return on investment. The role of access control is expanding to include benefits like energy efficiency and operational insights beyond just securing access points.
Access Control as a Service (ACaaS) is expected to gain momentum, with enterprises favouring hybrid models that leverage both on-premises and cloud features. Furthermore, the unification with Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS) will improve visibility and management.
Unified platforms and IoT integration
Over the coming years, the integration of IoT sensors, building systems, and smart devices onto unified security and operations platforms will increase. This consolidation helps teams achieve a more comprehensive understanding of facility activities and enhances their response capabilities.
The fusion of IT, operational technology, and physical security paves the way for real-time data sharing, reinforcing informed decision-making. Businesses will seek open, scalable platforms connecting various devices to provide both security and operational benefits.
As the technological landscape becomes more complex, the industry will rely on guided expertise to deploy and manage the right solutions. Innovators in this field will focus on securely unifying diverse devices, offering cloud-native and hybrid options, and embedding cybersecurity and data residency considerations within their designs.
Genetec Inc., the global pioneer in enterprise physical security software, shared its top predictions for the physical security industry in 2026.
In 2026, the conversation around cloud adoption will continue to mature. Organisations will prioritize solutions that offer deployment flexibility and scalability.
Rather than committing to a single deployment model, enterprises will evaluate each workload based on performance, cost, and data residency requirements. They will then choose the environment that best supports their operational needs, whether it’s on-premises, in the cloud, or a hybrid approach.
Open architecture solutions
Open architecture solutions will give end users the freedom to choose the devices and applications that best support their operations. This approach will extend the life of existing infrastructure while allowing teams to adopt cloud services where they add the most value.
Vendors that offer full-range deployment options and strong interoperability across environments will be best positioned to meet these expectations. In contrast to proprietary systems that limit choice and create lock-in, open solutions provide a more adaptable path that supports long-term flexibility and control.
AI moves from hype to intelligent automation
In 2026, the conversation will shift from AI and LLM hype to practical, outcome-driven Intelligent Automation (IA) solutions that streamline workflows, improve accuracy, and enable faster, smarter decisions.
IA will increasingly automate repetitive tasks, enhance monitoring precision, support predictive maintenance, and extract meaningful insights from growing data volumes.
Rather than adopting technology for its own sake, users will focus on features that genuinely improve daily operations, such as intelligent search to accelerate investigations, reduce false alarms, and strengthen situational awareness.
By optimizing response and reducing manual overhead, IA allows operators to focus their time and energy on important work and decision-making that requires human judgment.
Prioritizing cybersecurity
As the market matures, expectations around transparency and responsible implementation will rise. Users will demand clarity on how AI is used, how systems are built, and how data is collected, processed, and protected.
They will also expect vendors to prioritize cybersecurity and ensure that IA features are deployed in a safe, controlled, and accountable way. Organisations will move away from innovation for its own sake to delivering measurable, trustworthy, and meaningful outcomes powered by intelligent automation.
Access control modernization
Access control will remain a top priority as organisations modernize legacy systems and focus on maximizing ROI. The value of access control is expanding well beyond locking and unlocking doors to deliver measurable business outcomes, such as energy efficiency, occupancy management, and operational insights.
Access Control as a Service (ACaaS) adoption will accelerate as organisations prioritize easier maintenance, greater scalability, and predictable operating costs. Enterprises will favor hybrid deployments that combine on-premises and cloud capabilities. Unifying ACaaS and Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS) will further enhance visibility and streamline management across sites.
Mobile credentials and biometrics will continue to transform identity management, offering greater convenience and security while decentralising ownership of identity data. As mobile wallets and ultra-wideband technologies become mainstream, users will gain more ease and flexibility in how they authenticate and interact with secured environments and facilities.
Unified security and operations platforms
Over the next year, the number of connected devices will continue to surge as organisations integrate IoT sensors, building systems, and smart devices into unified security and operations platforms. Bringing this information together in one place will give teams a clearer view of what is happening across their facilities and help them respond faster and with greater confidence.
The convergence of IT, operational technology, and physical security will accelerate, enabling real-time data sharing and smarter decision-making across facilities. End users will expect open, scalable platforms that connect diverse devices securely and deliver both operational and security value.
As the landscape grows more complex, organisations will seek guidance on how to deploy the right technologies and manage them effectively. The pioneers in this space will be those who unify diverse devices securely, offer cloud-native and hybrid options, and embed cybersecurity and data residency into their design.
