Generative AI already has applications in video surveillance and access control. But for systems integrators and users seeking to compare products, design systems or calculate storage, generative AI solutions such as ChatGPT can come in handy, too.
Generative AI already has applications in video surveillance and access control. But for systems integrators and users seeking to compare products, design systems or calculate storage, generative AI solutions such as ChatGPT can come in handy, too. This article takes a closer look, based on a
video on the YouTube channel
2DTechBG.
Generative AI is a branch of artificial intelligence that can generate new content, be it text, images, video or software code, based on user inquiries. Applications in security are already available.
Video surveillance can benefit from generative AI, for example, via search efficiency enhancement and deepfakes detection. Meanwhile, generative AI can
enhance access control by way of bypass attempt simulation and biometrics accuracy improvement.
Yet generative AI also has other uses in security. In fact, ChatGPT can be a good assistant for security integrators or users seeking to compare products, calculate storage or even get hardware specification. Below we take a look at how this can be done.
Product comparison
ChatGPT can help users compare products. In the 2DTechBG video, the narrator asks ChatGPT to compare Hikvision's DS-2CD2647G2T-LZS camera with Dahua's IPC-HFW2231T-AS-S2 camera. ChatGPT then generates a detailed response that includes the following points: 1) resolution – DS-2CD2647G2T-LZS is 4K and IPC-HFW2231T-AS-S2 is 2MP, so the former can capture more details; 2) sensor size – DS-2CD2647G2T-LZS has a larger sensor size so it can allow more light in; and 3) benefits offered by IPC-HFW2231T-AS-S2 – among them the ability to capture scenes in a variety of lighting scenarios. The narrator then enters the query: find the Hikvision model that’s most similar to IPC-HFW2231T-AS-S2.” ChatGPT subsequently comes up with the answer, DS-2CD2023GO-I, and explains why.
Hardware specification
ChatGPT can serve as a specifier guiding SIs/users on what hardware equipment to get in a security system. In the video, the narrator asks ChatGPT to specify the desired hardware and mobile app in a CCTV system that includes four Hikvision cameras, with a 30-day video storage requirement plus an intercom system. The chatbot then generates a response that details: the recommended NVR model which can support 4 to 8 IP cameras; the recommended hard disk drive with 4TB to 8TB capacity that’s specifically designed for video surveillance and can support 30-day storage; additional IP camera models in case the user wants to add more cameras; and the recommended IP intercom model and mobile app.
The narrator also asks ChatGPT to specify hardware for a system with 72 2MP cameras, 30-day retention requirement and running the ExacqVisioni VMS. ChatGPT then gives its recommendations accordingly, including a Dell PowerEdge R740 server.
Storage calculation
ChatGPT can help users calculate storage. For example, the video shows the narrator inputting the query, “How many HDDs do I need for a CCTV system with 10 4MP cameras, motion detection with 30 percent motion per day, H.264 for all cameras, 15 frames per second and 30-day storage requirement.” The chatbot then provides the formula for storage calculation: Total storage=((bitrate/8)*3600*hours*days)/(1024^3), and arrives at the answer of approximately 50.6TB of storage needed, which can be achieved using multiple hard drives configured in a RAID configuration – for example, the user could use ten 6TB hard drives configured in a RAID 6 configuration to provide 48TB of usable storage with data redundancy.
Additional capabilities
ChatGPT can also answer other security-related questions that the user might have. For example, the narrator of the video asked ChatGPT what would be the Wiegand format for the access control card number 1234567, to which the chatbot responded with the 26-bit binary representation of 1234567 with even parity. He also asked what battery size is needed for 10 smoke detectors from a certain brand in the event power is gone for two days, to which the chatbot specifies that 12V battery with capacity of at least 2000Ah is needed, assuming total power consumption is 500 watts.
ChatGPT or not ChatGPT?
The question then becomes should the user base their security purchasing decisions on advice they got from a computer, instead of professional,
human integrators, specifiers and consultants? This writer strongly cautions against doing such due to the simple reason that TECHNOLOGY MAKES MISTAKES. From
GPS navigating a truck into a river to
autonomous vehicles losing control, putting driver/passengers in danger, we know that technology isn’t perfect. In fact, in the 2DTechBG video alone, we can see ChatGPT made at least one mistake. Leaving your security decisions to a piece of machine, then, probably isn’t a good idea.
Rather, what generative AI can do is complement or augment the decision-making process. With ChatGPT, the user can get a basic understanding of the security products or solutions that they are interested in. The chatbot can also provide other useful information, such as a product’s long-term value and cost-benefit analysis, that can help initiate the conversation between the user and the vendor. This, in this writer's opinion, is where ChatGPT can play a useful role in security.