This article looks at vertical markets that can especially benefit from AI in perimeter security.
Perimeter security based on AI video analytics can identify threats with accuracy and precision. For organizations whose operations are critical in nature, this is quite important. Below we look at vertical markets that can especially benefit from AI in perimeter security.
Critical infrastructure
Critical infrastructure facilities such as power plants and data centers are mission-critical environments where AI-based perimeter security can play an important role.
“End-users overseeing critical infrastructure, high-value assets and complex facilities benefit significantly from AI video analytics. The ability for AI to both autonomously identify complex threats, like unauthorized access events and acts of aggression, and leverage machine learning to generate additional contextual clues helps teams to continuously improve perimeter security in complex settings,” said Todd Dunning, Director of Product Management, Video Security and Analytics at
Pelco.
Industrial sites and transportation hubs
Manufacturing and transportation hubs typically have large perimeters, and using AI for perimeter security can help boost security and operational efficiency.
“We see strong uptake in energy (oil and gas, chemicals, solar and wind farms) and in large logistics operations, ports, rail yards, airports, and distribution centers, where perimeters span kilometers and traffic volumes are high. Manufacturing campuses are similar,” said Mats Thulin, Director of AI and Analytics Solutions at Axis Communications.
Corporate campuses
Large corporate offices are places where professionals work and sensitive data are held, and AI-based perimeter security can do a good job offering protection. “Fortune 500 facilities protecting intellectual property and personnel – these sectors demand the reliability and precision that only Scylla's edge-based, autonomous AI can deliver,” said Albert Stepanyan, President and CEO of Scylla AI.
Healthcare and education
According to Dunning, AI video analytics tools can also be beneficial for end-users in high-risk, resource-intensive industries like healthcare and education.
“AI can not only help security teams with limited resources identify common threats, but also reduce false alarms by evaluating trigger events across multiple parameters to help ensure teams respond to threats in priority order,” Dunning said. “For example, if AI-informed cameras identify an unknown person in a secure area holding an object, further analyses can be performed to compare the object to contraband items and the person’s presence to normal facility usage. This type of AI decision tree helps to organize incidents by order of priority to help teams with limited resources address risks appropriately.”
Challenges for AI in perimeter security
While the benefits of AI-based perimeter security abound, there are still challenges that need to be addressed. These include the following.
Environment and site design
Inclement conditions and other environmental factors can still negatively impact AI in perimeter security. “Conditions like snow, fog, salt, spray, backlighting, and moving vegetation still pose challenges. While advanced processing improves image clarity, it cannot compensate for poor camera placement, inadequate lighting or obstructed views,” Thulin said.
“Traditional systems fail in adverse weather, low light, and visual clutter. Scylla's multi-modal approach maintains 99.8 percent detection rates in rain, fog, and snow conditions through specialized IR and thermal camera optimization,” Stepanyan said.
Integrating AI into legacy systems
Integrating AI into legacy systems presents another challenge. “Analytics must integrate seamlessly with existing VMS, access control, and dispatch workflows. Compliance with regional privacy and data regulations also requires careful handling of retention, masking, and auditing,” Thulin said.
“To combat integration challenges, stakeholders should consider working alongside certified integration professionals with relevant experience in optimizing converged security,” Dunning said. “While developing effective perimeter security that leverages AI alongside legacy equipment is possible, operators should consider the long-term benefits of full-scale upgrades. Providers can help stakeholders securely integrate AI-driven access control, video security and alarm systems within a shared ecosystem to improve security and ease-of-use.”
Scale and handover
Tracking individuals or vehicles across long perimeters or between zones remains difficult. “Although ID handover is improving, wide-area continuity is still an active area of development,” Thulin said. “Advanced processing reduces noise and accelerates response times, but performance still relies on robust site design, well-maintained devices, thoughtful tuning, and seamless integration, ensuring teams act on the right alerts at the right time.”