Jamie Barnfield, Senior Sales Director, IDIS Europe

In an era of rapid technological advances, AI video is revolutionising how businesses approach security and operations. But in the UK, it’s estimated that out of almost 7 million surveillance systems, many organisations are still operating legacy analogue CCTV or hybrid models. The UK is not alone; it’s a similar picture in Germany and other European countries that were early adopters of analogue systems.  Yet despite the benefits, many companies are still hesitating to upgrade their surveillance systems to AI-powered solutions.

Why is this? For one thing, electronic security is all too often a grudge purchase, until a  breach occurs. Economic uncertainty is also a factor, as well as a resistance to change. This delay, however, can be a costly mistake. Postponing AI surveillance upgrades is putting businesses at a disadvantage and, in the mid- to long-term, may cost them more - here’s why:

1. Increased Security and Cyber Vulnerabilities

Traditional surveillance systems rely on manual monitoring, which is prone to human error and incapable of detecting complex threats. Today, AI-powered surveillance can identify unusual behaviour patterns, detect unauthorized access or suspicious activity in real time, and significantly reduce false alarms.

Customers are also missing out on cameras that now boast significantly higher resolution and larger sensors, which capture more detail and offer improved image quality. Light-enhancing technologies and enhanced wide dynamic range (WDR) also ensure better image quality in low-light and challenging lighting conditions.

Active deterrence cameras also come with strobe lighting and public address (PA) built-in, enabling security teams to issue live or pre-recorded messages to deter crime. 

Today’s more powerful video solutions - with efficient AI detection, forensic search and evidence export capabilities - make it easier to catch and convict those repeat offenders who are committing the most low level crime and who are often costing businesses most in terms of direct losses, and reduced staff and customer confidence. Organisations that don’t upgrade are less able to tackle this persistent problem.

Additionally, older systems often lack modern encryption and cybersecurity features, rendering them vulnerable to hacking and data breaches. These can result in significant fines and reputational damage and may take years to recover from. Today’s AI surveillance systems can be expected to include advanced and patented protocols encompassing transmission, access, and storage to protect sensitive data.

2. Non-Compliance with Regulations

Most security professionals are more than aware of the requirements of the EU’s GDPR, as well as country and industry-specific regulations such as UK privacy laws, HIPAA in U.S. healthcare, or banking regulations in the Middle East. Yet, C-suite executives are rarely familiar with their current surveillance systems, making them oblivious to the risk of non-compliance, which can result in hefty fines and reputational damage.

Legacy systems may not meet these standards, particularly when it  comes to: secure data storage, authorised access to recorded video footage, automated data anonymization when exporting forensic evidence, and the requirement to apply accurate privacy masking during real-time surveillance operations.

In a globalised economy, the same applies to organisations still operating non-NDAA-compliant equipment. Across Europe there is a lack of clarity regarding how a U.S. federal mandate could impact them. Many organisations are unaware that using non-compliant kit could delay expansion plans into the U.S. and associated trade and collaboration, or jeopardise new contracts. This can result in the need for a rapid rip-and-replace approach across their estate rather than a phased and affordable migration plan.

3. Lost Operational Efficiency

At a time when organisations are striving to achieve greater efficiency and looking to test and potentially adopt AI applications in various areas, AI-powered video can be seen as a low hanging fruit. Unlike some AI applications, AI video is an already proven solution that can be shown beyond doubt to streamline security operations.

Older systems require human operators to monitor hours of footage and to deal with nuisance alarms, increasing labour costs and the risk of missed events. AI surveillance systems automate this process, allowing businesses to monitor multiple feeds simultaneously; receive high accuracy real-time alerts to critical security and safety incidents; initiate standard operating procedures and rapid responses. Alerts are relayed to officers on patrol as well as managers, allowing threats to be handled efficiently. This can streamline security operations and allow businesses to consider reducing control room manpower or to focus security staff on higher-value tasks.

Today’s latest AI-video can also accurately detect over thirty unique object categories, including people, vehicles, faces, and more. The resulting metadata in camera footage allows automated forensic searches across vast amounts of video, reducing the time for investigations from days or hours down to minutes.

Where security is mission-critical complete surveillance failure or multi-camera downtime can significantly impact business continuity and result in lost productivity,  output, and revenue. The latest surveillance solutions come with multi-layered failover protection, and can proactively detect and alert users to hardware issues, allowing preventative maintenance to be carried out before major failures occur.

4. Failure to Remain Competitive

Modern AI surveillance systems provide far more than basic monitoring and recording.  Businesses that adopt AI surveillance gain a competitive edge by leveraging advanced analytics and automation, such as facial recognition for access control and visitor management, ensuring positive employee and visitor experiences.

In the retail sector, businesses are using video analytics to analyse customer behaviour, to optimize store layouts, to better position promotions, and to improve staff allocation across branches. These incremental efficiency gains are being driven by today’s accurate people counting, directional footfall, queue management, and heat mapping AI video capabilities. And the benefits are being further amplified as the metadata is being integrated into wider company systems such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.

With AI-powered surveillance across their production facilities, manufacturers can enhance quality control and worker safety. AI surveillance can automate PPE detection, and spot safety hazards; systems deployed on forklift trucks and side-loaders can prevent accidents and resulting fines.

Logistics companies can improve inventory management and theft prevention with barcode and QR scanning for asset tracking. Operators can also benefit from automated ID recognition of shipping containers for logistics and supply chain monitoring.

The applications are growing constantly, with users and their technology providers innovating to achieve exciting results. Businesses that delay upgrades, that are failing to gain experience with user-friendly, affordable AI video, risk being left behind and missing out on insights that could transform decision-making and operational efficiency.

5. Delayed return on investment (ROI)

In 2025, the shift to AI video represents a crucial moment of tech evolution. Delaying the switch-up means delaying the benefits and gains.

Postponing cost savings and revenue-generating opportunities creates a cascading financial impact. Specifically, businesses relying too much on operators to monitor multiple video streams will stay burdened with higher labour costs, and higher costs to retain and recruit staff. Insurers also often charge more for businesses with outdated security infrastructure

Older systems consume 70–90% more bandwidth and storage, with users missing out on the benefits of the latest codecs and compression technologies.  In addition, the older the systems become, the higher the upfront costs can be to modernise. Projects delayed invariably become more costly in real terms.

As threats evolve, outdated surveillance systems are becoming more vulnerable. With passive surveillance systems less able to cope with sophisticated hacking and tampering, businesses risk increased operational costs, penalties, and ransomware threats. By contrast, AI-powered surveillance technology improves response times and threat detection capabilities and enhances overall organisational security and stability.

And one final point. Sooner rather than later, businesses may also find that delaying AI surveillance upgrades comes to affect their market positioning. Companies that are seen to embrace AI advancements don’t just benefit from all the savings outlined above, they are viewed as innovators. This matters when it comes to customer approval and investor confidence.

Investing in AI surveillance technologies is increasingly cited as a way to achieve positive ROI, with 97% of business leaders reporting favourable returns. According to Goldman Sachs projections, AI is set to contribute an estimated $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, highlighting the urgent need for organisations to embrace AI technologies effectively.

AI-powered surveillance is a proven technology that will deliver gains now.
So it’s time for users to come out of the analogue age so that they can start reaping those benefits.