What big announcements can we expect at ISC West 2023?

We are really excited to be exhibiting at ISC West 2023, not least because of the announcements and appearances that inevitably happen at the event. This year I am expecting to see more new entrants in the security and access control space from the world of software. This is largely due to improvements in technology such as mobile credentials/Apple Wallet, which is bound to see disrupters enter the market to shake things up. New providers come and go in this market like any other, but it's always good to see things shaken up a bit; it keeps everyone on their toes by raising expectations and pushing the envelope of what is possible, which ultimately benefits us all.

At ISC West 2023, I expect to see a lot more solutions, products, and messaging addressing the convergence of cyber and physical security. While ISC West is traditionally a physical security show, cyber-physical security is playing a bigger role in how both camps address security. We are seeing an increased concern about how to physically protect digital assets and vice-versa. This will likely be a hot topic on the show floor as well as during the panel sessions. One announcement I am hopeful will materialise is a continued and dramatic increase in attendance since 2020. Looking at the show floor, it seems as though the number of exhibitors is increasing, which is a promising sign for both attendees and exhibitors alike. In-person interaction is so essential in our human-centric industry, so I am hopeful we will see more of our partners and potential customers this year.

Artificial intelligence (AI) will be all around us at ISC West. In particular, AI voice assistants are poised to impact the security market significantly by improving access control, situational awareness, and response times to security incidents. They can streamline security by allowing individuals to access secure areas with a voice command and provide real-time updates and alerts about security incidents, allowing security personnel to respond to potential threats quickly. Additionally, users are now empowered to automate routine security tasks, freeing security personnel to focus on higher-value activities, such as risk analysis and strategic planning.

I expect AI and Cloud to be front and centre at this year’s conference. The feedback we get from our global customer base is that AI-driven video analytics technologies are key. To deliver high-quality and cost-efficient solutions in the physical security industry, you need to use the best technology available. Today, that means AI-driven real-time threat detection and data harvesting. Why AI? Well, that is the difference between a constantly alarming system and a truly accurate one. This means your security personnel focuses on the 1 percent that matters. The cloud is the final piece of the puzzle that optimises the operational aspects as well. The IT industry realised years ago that the cloud was the way to go – now we’re seeing the most proactive players in the security industry realising the same.

Artificial intelligence and cloud services are transforming the security industry, and I expect to see new innovations regarding integrating these technologies into more systems. Both segments have the potential to augment the abilities of security personnel significantly by helping them process and analyse large amounts of data, automate manual processes, and make more informed decisions. Cloud services, in particular, provide powerful data analytics capabilities, allowing users to achieve better decision-making that leads to decision intelligence. The collision of physical security and big data results in the intelligence needed to ensure higher levels of human safety.  

There will be more options for video management than in previous years, opening the doors for organisations to modernise their infrastructure. Containerisation is a trend that is transforming the video market by providing a more efficient, scalable, and cost-effective way to deploy video surveillance applications. This process allows applications to be packaged independently of the underlying infrastructure, allowing them to be easily moved from one environment to another without requiring changes to the application itself. It provides improved scalability, enabling video surveillance applications to be easily scaled up or down based on demand. By reducing the required hardware and software infrastructure, containerisation can reduce costs and streamline deployment. At ISC West, attendees will be able to see how containerised video management platforms provide a more efficient, scalable, and cost-effective way to deploy video surveillance applications, enabling organisations better to protect their customers, employees, and assets. 

As we enter the Age of Intelligence, we are already seeing the significant impact it is having on the physical security market because it enables security systems to become more proactive and effective in mitigating risks and threats. By incorporating artificial intelligence (AI), mobile applications, and other advanced technologies into physical security systems, security professionals can analyse vast amounts of data in an instant and quickly identify potential risks. But this cannot occur without true integration between all systems. At ISC West, we’ll be discussing the value of truly bringing any and all devices and systems into one interface to gain the highest levels of intelligence. We’re calling it BYOE (bring your own everything) and this is truly the future of our industry.

This year at ISC West, I expect leading manufacturers to announce exciting new technology partnerships and solution integrations. Though these kinds of collaborations don’t constitute one flashy announcement, they represent a broader shift in the industry toward deploying integrated and intelligent ecosystems of best-of-breed sensors in lieu of individual, isolated devices. Over the years, we have learned that security solutions operate at their best when they layer complementary devices together. In the same way that emergency communication systems and audio devices work together seamlessly, surveillance cameras with embedded video analytics deliver the best results when deployed alongside external lighting. Sometimes, it seems that security threats evolve faster than the solutions we deploy to address them. However, coming together and leaning on each other’s strengths equips and empowers end users to stay ahead of the game.

At ISC West 2023, I expect thought leaders in the industry to focus on the rise in violent crimes, especially gun violence, in the U.S. As tragedies dominate local, national, and social news, the public’s trust in law enforcement and private security has eroded. The Security Industry can’t afford to talk about anything else. I believe companies will look to AI and other technologies to solve these challenges. However, we must remember that humans create these AI innovations, and their biases impact the solutions. Deploying human-centric solutions requires equipping on-premise security operations with better communication technology to harness attendee crowdsourced intelligence. Waze crowdsourced navigational efficiencies, and we believe onsite security should think in similar terms by embracing technology-based “see something, say something” strategies, in order to respond to ongoing incidents faster. Going forward, we must take responsibility for each other’s safety and security and redefine the term "first responder" to include anyone willing to act during an emergency.

At ISC West 2023, I expect to see more AI and machine learning innovations and related technologies announced by manufacturers. At a macro level, it is an exciting time for system integrators and end users alike, as they determine how to incorporate these advanced technologies into the next generation of systems and smart buildings. These technology innovations also present an expertise gap for integrators to fill. In order to deliver on the promise of these innovations, integrators should embrace collaborative system design technologies that enable all the key players in the ecosystem to work together to visualise how these solutions will solve problems in the real world. Along those lines, we expect to see a trend toward more “open” systems and solutions that interoperate seamlessly, in order to take these technologies into the mainstream. On a micro level, I expect to see an uptick in collaborative system design, as parties come together to focus on delivering the best solutions for their customers and stakeholders.

At ISC West, attendees can expect to see a wide range of remote monitoring services that can provide around-the-clock surveillance and alerts for businesses and organisations of all sizes. These services, such as video surveillance, intrusion detection, and fire alarm monitoring, can be tailored to meet the specific needs of the client, from basic monitoring to more advanced solutions that utilize artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies. One trend we can also expect to be discussed is the increasing use of mobile applications and other remote access technologies to provide dealers with real-time updates on client accounts and alert them to potential issues. Mobile applications also provide advanced reporting and analytics capabilities that empower dealers to monitor and analyse client data and identify areas for improvement or upgrades. Mobility overall delivers the ability to monitor systems, receive alerts, and manage accounts on the go, resulting in greater efficiencies across their client base.

Big announcements at ISC West 2023 will involve Cloud and AI. The march to cloud is intensifying. Novaira Insights' recent report forecasted the number of cloud-connected cameras will increase at an average annual rate of over 80% through 2026. End users and resellers are making the trip to Las Vegas to see demos of Cloud products and to find out how AI in the Cloud really works. This year, they'll see innovations that allow cameras to connect directly to the Cloud - a super economical product that does not require any onsite hardware - something that both small businessess and large multi-site organisations have been looking for. AI was the most discussed topic at ISC West in 2022, but we've made giant strides in just one year in terms of  new video surveillance features powered by AI in the Cloud. This year's big announcements will be more about features rather than products. Attendees can look forward to experiencing demos of multiple, very practical and easy-to-use tools that enable instant and accurate video search.

Hot topics and announcements will centre around the trusted identity solutions that are accelerating digital transformation in the security and identity industry. Cloud-based access control solutions and trusted mobile identities are among the drivers for this transformation, enabling a host of seamless, new, high-value workplace experiences in today's increasingly connected world. As digital ID adoption grows and cloud-based access control goes mainstream, these twin trends have enabled such innovations as employee badge in Apple Wallet, secure and scalable cloud-based ID issuance, and visitor management solutions and create safer and more secure workplaces.