AI IN SECURITY: SMART AND SECURE – THE RISE OF AI IN SECURITY
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Security will always be a crucial consideration for any business, regardless of what they might be trying to sell. Since the pandemic hit, and more companies have shifted their focus online, the demand for security has grown higher than ever. Countless pandemic-based scams and new cyber security concerns have begun to emerge.
On top of that, we still have endless other security worries to address, from home and business security threats to fraud and personal theft. AI could be the key to overcoming a lot of the major security issues we face each day. According to reports, the AI in security market is set to reach a value of $14.8 billion by 2026.
So, what should everyone know about AI in security?
Smart Security: How It’s Changing the World
The most common connection between AI and security is in the cyber security landscape. Within a digital world, AI has the potential to detect possible fraud, threats, and risks in seconds, preventing significant issues from arising for all kinds of companies.
AI can also influence other methods of security too. For instance, the US National Defense Strategy released in 2018 identified AI as a major technology required for ensuring that the military can protect itself in the future. Let’s explore some of the options for AI in security.
AI in Cybersecurity
With massive data breaches, issues of fraud and other instances of security problems on the rise throughout the digital world, companies are rapidly turning to disruptive technology. Following the pandemic in particular, companies needed a way to ensure they could respond to a sudden influx of security threats. As more of the business world moves online, organizations have a variety of new threats and endpoints to consider.
AI and machine learning solutions can reduce the risks imposed in the digital world by immediately detecting problems before they cause disastrous outcomes. An AI system can scan files in an email and look for signs of danger before a user opens the content. Intelligent solutions can also make it easier to protect sensitive data, with intelligent two-factor authentication strategies, biometric recognition and more.
AI and its applications allow users to protect any system by delivering alerts in real-time, scanning and considering more information that any human could consume. AI can even potentially detect previously unseen forms of cyber-attacks, by evaluating issues and risks based on years of historical data.
AI in citizen/ public security
Outside of the digital world, AI also has the potential to protect us in a huge range of additional environments. For instance, companies like UVeye are developing artificial intelligence and machine learning tools that can detect potential security issues by rapidly scanning the underside of vehicles. Via intelligent cameras, the company can create 3D images of anomalies like concealed weapons and explosive devices. This technology works even when a car is moving at speed.
Elsewhere, evolutionary technology based on AI systems is being implemented into events and screening systems on a massive scale. This technology uses things like biometric data and artificial intelligence to analyze live footage of approaching visitors to determine when and if they’re approved for the list of attendees. If a visitor is detected as a person of interest, the system can then automatically send their profile to the security officers of the event, allowing for a quick human review. This could significantly change the way we handle threat analysis at airports.
Crime prevention cameras are yet another aspect of public security ready to be enhanced by AI. AI in CCTV cameras, enhanced with computer vision, allows companies to track the posture and movement of people in a large area, and compare their behavior to shoplifters from the past. This technology can even be applied to cameras inside the home, to help spot suspicious activity, like a neighbor trying to steal a package from the front door.
AI in home security
Speaking of home security, we’re already beginning to see the impact of AI in this area. Today, companies can purchase computer-vision enabled cameras that use biometric tracking to determine whether an intruder is in a home. There are products that can transform the security system completely, replacing keys and locks with fingerprint and eye scanners.
AI can also make a difference to the number of human error and false alarm issues that today’s consumers face. Artificial intelligence systems embedded into cameras and sensors can immediately detect issues and send alerts to a customer’s smart home, allowing them to see whether any suspicious activity is really problematic or not. AI tools are becoming more capable of telling the difference between things like pets walking in front of a sensor, and people breaking into a home.
Additional AI security systems could be automated to send alerts to police and security people when issues are detected and approved by the consumer. Aside from break-ins and theft, these tools can also help with things like tracking potential leaks in pipes, or indicating when an appliance has been left plugged in, to help avoid fires. AI systems can even automatically turn devices off to prevent a home issue when a user leaves the room.
AI in global security
AI’s impact in various forms of global security will be something that companies need to consider with a high focus on ethics. The military potential for AI is huge, particularly since military hardware is so well-equipped with communication networks, sensors, cameras, and data.
Shield AI developed an AI-based surveillance solution for the military, which uses machine learning to allow unmanned vehicles to learn about the world around them. These drones can be commanded to survey target environments. Machine learning technology onboard the drone can also help it to navigate environments with minimal human participation.
Elsewhere, AI could be a valuable tool in things like lie detection and border control. Companies like iBorderCtrl have already begun to use virtual border guards with AI to detect if people are telling the truth about their intentions through signs that would be impossible for a standard person to detect.