Automation is no longer a peripheral feature in physical security systems. It is increasingly embedded across access control, video surveillance and analytics platforms, reshaping how integrators deploy and support solutions.
For systems integrators, this shift goes beyond technical configuration. It requires a deeper understanding of how customers operate day to day and how security decisions are made in real time.
From components to workflows
As AI-driven automation becomes more pervasive, the traditional model of integrating discrete systems is giving way to a more unified operational approach. Kurt Takahashi, CEO of Netwatch, said integrators must now look at security from an end-to-end perspective.
“As automation becomes more embedded in security operations, integrators must move beyond understanding individual systems and gain a clear, end-to-end view of how a customer actually operates day to day,” he said.
According to Takahashi, AI-driven automation increasingly connects video, analytics, access control and other systems into what he described as a unified operating environment. In this environment, “software is coordinating detection, prioritization, and response in near real time.”
This integration has implications for how projects are scoped and delivered. Success, he noted, “now depends on understanding how incidents are identified and resolved not just on how devices are installed or configured.”
For integrators, that means aligning technology choices with operational workflows to
ensure that automation supports decision-making rather than adding complexity.
“That means integrators must align their technology choices with operational workflows to ensure automation supports decision-making rather than simply generating more data,” Takahashi said.
AI as a foundational layer
The growing role of automation changes how AI is positioned within security architectures. Rather than being treated as an add-on module, it increasingly acts as a foundational layer influencing system behavior.
“In this model, AI isn’t an add-on to existing hardware. Rather, it becomes a foundational layer that shapes how security teams work,” Takahashi said.
This view is echoed by Greg Colaluca, CEO of Intellicene, who emphasized that automation now affects the entire path from camera input to operator response.
“As automation becomes the new normal in security, integrators need a clear view of how customer workflows flow from camera input to operator action, because AI now handles detection, context, and alerting at machine speed to support human operators,” Colaluca said.
For integrators accustomed to focusing on camera placement, access control readers, or server capacity, the focus must expand to include how decisions are triggered and executed. Automation accelerates detection and alerting, but it also increases the importance of clearly defined decision paths and escalation procedures.
Mapping decision paths and operator load
Automation enables security teams to manage hundreds of cameras and multiple systems. However, it also introduces new operational variables that integrators must consider.
“As security risks rise across industries, integrators should focus on how security teams rely on AI-powered detection software to surface meaningful events, guide attention, and support timely decisions across hundreds of cameras and multiple systems,” Colaluca said.
In practice, this requires integrators to understand operator workflows in detail. Colaluca pointed to the need to “map decision paths, escalation timing, and operator load so intelligent video systems fit daily operations and scale smoothly with growing demand.”
For example, when AI flags an intrusion event across multiple cameras, the system may automatically prioritize certain feeds, trigger access control lockdowns, or escalate alerts to supervisors. Integrators must ensure these automated actions align with established standard operating procedures.
“Understanding a client’s business operations and standard operating procedures/policies will provide a solid foundation for effective decision criteria and data prioritization to ensure the right actions are taken at the right times,” Colaluca said.
This approach highlights a shift in responsibility. Integrators are not just configuring devices but designing decision frameworks that determine how alerts are handled and who responds.
Designing for scalability and flexibility
Automation also affects how systems scale. As AI becomes ingrained in everyday workflows, the expectation is that security systems will evolve alongside business operations.
Jeff Groom, Director of Engineering, AI, at Acre Security, said automation is already influencing how integrators approach deployments.
“AI is becoming ingrained in everyday workflows across the board, and integrators know this,” Groom said. “It’s shaping the future of everything from access to video.”
According to Groom, integrators who understand customer operations can create automated flows that feel intuitive and adaptable.
“Integrators can shape automated flows that feel natural for customers, streamline complex deployments, and help systems grow with real business use and changing needs,” he said.
The ability to design for growth is critical in environments such as campuses, logistics hubs, healthcare facilities and mixed-use developments, where security requirements evolve over time. Automation can reduce manual intervention and improve response consistency, but only if the underlying workflows are well understood.
“That clarity allows integrators to design solutions that scale naturally and give customers the flexibility they expect from modern security,” Groom said.
Operational rhythms and AI adoption
As automation becomes more deeply embedded, integrators must also consider cultural and organizational factors. AI adoption is not purely technical. It affects how security teams allocate attention, interpret alerts and make decisions.
“As automation becomes more embedded, integrators who understand their clients’ operational rhythms are in the best position to guide AI’s adoption not just react to it,” Groom said.
Operational rhythms can include shift changes, peak traffic hours, access control surges during events, or varying risk profiles across different times of day. Integrators who account for these patterns can configure automation to prioritize alerts appropriately and avoid overwhelming operators.
This approach also reduces the risk of alert fatigue. When AI surfaces only relevant events and routes them through clearly defined escalation paths, security teams can maintain situational awareness without being overloaded by low-value notifications.
From installation to operational consulting
Taken together, the insights from Groom, Takahashi and Colaluca point to a broader transformation in the integrator’s role. Automation shifts the focus from device-centric deployment to operational design.
Takahashi underscored this change. “Systems integrators who can design around these workflows anticipating how automation will drive daily operations will deliver far greater value than those focused solely on components or features,” he said.
This evolution aligns with broader trends in the physical security industry. As video surveillance, analytics and access control systems converge, the value proposition increasingly centers on how well these technologies support coordinated detection and response.
For integrators, this means engaging earlier in the planning process, asking detailed questions about incident response, escalation policies and performance metrics. It also requires closer collaboration with security directors, IT teams and operations managers to ensure alignment.
In automated environments, even small configuration choices can have large operational consequences. For instance, defining which alerts are escalated immediately versus queued for review can affect response times and staffing requirements. Integrators must therefore balance technical capabilities with human factors.
Conclusion
Increased automation is redefining the expectations placed on physical security systems. AI-driven platforms now coordinate detection, context and response at machine speed, integrating video, analytics and access control into unified operating environments.
For systems integrators, the implications are clear. A deep understanding of operational workflows is no longer optional. It is essential to ensure automation enhances decision-making rather than creating complexity.
By mapping decision paths, aligning technology with standard operating procedures and designing for scalability, integrators can deliver systems that grow with customer needs. As AI becomes foundational to security operations, those who understand daily operational rhythms and anticipate how automation will shape them are positioned to provide the greatest long-term value.
In this new model, integration is as much about workflow design as it is about hardware and software. Automation has moved from feature to framework, and integrators who adapt to this shift will help define the next phase of physical security integration.