The AI boom globally is not restricted to just software or digital experiences. Organizations of all sizes and across sectors are finding new ways to leverage AI in a range of use cases that extend beyond the digital landscape. AI is now making concerted inroads into the physical world with integrations to tech like the Internet of Things. One area where AI can make a significant impact in real-world experiences is in helping to secure critical physical security infrastructure.
From airports to data centres and military establishments, the physical security of high-value assets is a major concern for all stakeholders. On the agenda is everything from preventing breaches to ensuring proactive monitoring, and faster neutralization of threats. These are now critical for the long-term sustenance of such infrastructure. However, given the scale and scope of today’s threats, traditional perimeter security approaches and CCTV-based surveillance can prove to be inadequate. Threat agents are adopting sophisticated attack approaches to breach such old-school security solutions. The number of such attacks is rising and so is their sophistication. This is where smart security solutions powered by AI can make a huge difference.
An AI-powered physical security solution can bring about radical changes in the way critical establishments are guarded against a diverse range of threats. These cutting-edge solutions can bring in much-needed intelligence to enable seamless and smart automation of security infrastructure. That will help maintain continuous protection even in the most adverse of situations.
Let us explore some of the new possibilities. What AI can bring to the table while implementing security measures in critical establishments like airports, military bases, data centres, etc?
AI-powered computer vision technology can help to enhance proactive surveillance across critical physical assets. It can continuously analyze video feeds from cameras installed across the entire perimeter, no matter how long and dispersed. Any movement can be tracked, and intelligent machine vision techniques can process the captured movement and determine whether it represents a threat or not.
This is extremely useful in areas that are isolated from generally busy areas and closer in proximity to areas where animals roam around. Rather than setting off alarms when a stray animal enters the secured borders, AI-driven security systems can distinguish between different types of intrusions and ensure that alerts are issued only for real threats.
Another possible area of application of AI is acoustic security measures. Sounds generated by activity like glass breaks, explosions, the firing of guns, etc. can be identified. Sound waves captured by sensors placed across the establishment can be constantly monitored. Deviations in wave patterns can be isolated and analysed by AI models to quickly detect any potential intrusion threat.
Such systems help in guiding security forces to the exact location of the breach in the fastest timeframe possible. This greatly helps in reducing damages created due to intrusions and prevents them from escalating into major problems.
Critical establishments can leverage a network of drones and other robotic security infrastructure to constantly survey their premises in all the dimensions possible. AI empowers these devices or robots to perform without bias. This security blanket ensures that every inch of even an expansive facility is covered regularly. Traditional manual surveillance by humans with cameras or in person can be an exhaustive process and prone to gaps and errors, apart from the chance of bias.
With AI on the job, there will be no bias.These intelligent machines can also work in tandem with security forces to locate and destroy threats before harm is caused.
Critical facilities like airports often see millions of people using their premises every year. Human personnel can't inspect every movement inside such facilities manually or draw the instant insights required to provide foolproof security. With AI, it is possible to automate these routines within airports (and other high-footfall locations) using a combination of facial recognition, integrated cameras, access control infrastructure, and much more.
What’s even better is the ability of AI systems to pick up unusual activity like aggressive behaviour or potential deviations from the norms on the premises and alert security personnel to interfere at the earliest. It can also add that extra layer of access security targeting areas designated as sensitive that people must never access without mandated security credentials.
The use of AI in securing critical infrastructure like airports, military bases, etc. will become an increasingly common phenomenon in the coming years. While we have discussed the potential opportunities, there is also a major need for decision-makers to realize the need to set up the foundation now for smart physical security solutions in their establishments.
From integrated smart cameras to motion sensors powered by optic fibre, a range of hardware and software components must be deployed within the facility today to enable an AI-powered secure future. These assets will help support AI innovations execute complex security routines across the facility with ease.
It’s time for enterprises to invest in the smartest physical security infrastructure for their critical infrastructure to guarantee the successful adoption of emerging innovations like AI and machine learning. This is where a trusted security partner like Athena can be a major game changer. Get in touch with us to know more.