Security

What Small Businesses Need To Know About AI-Enabled Surveillance Options

Video surveillance enhanced by artificial intelligence plays a key role in secure business operations.

David Sibley is a cybersecurity adviser at CDW specializing in the small business sector.

Video surveillance is evolving. As noted by S&S Insider, the market for solutions such as artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled cameras crossed the $4 billion mark two years ago and is on track for eightfold growth over the next decade.

The shift is part of a growing trend toward enhanced video surveillance, tools and technologies that go beyond grainy footage and inconsistent image capture to provide usable and useful data for small businesses.

What works for one SMB, however, may not be right for another. Here are a few ways enhanced surveillance is impacting operations — and ways that a tech partner such as CDW can help.

What Is AI Video Surveillance?

AI video surveillance combines traditional camera operations with intelligent data processing.

Traditional cameras can capture bad actors taking stock from store shelves, but they can’t do much else. Stores report the theft and provide footage to the police, but this often leads to a dead end, especially if the quality of the footage is poor.

AI-enabled cameras can scan images to identify faces and then use publicly available databases to find likely matches. This enables businesses to pinpoint and ban potential thieves and provide police with the data they need to act. AI video surveillance can also be used to record license plate data and uncover information about vehicle owners.

Click the banner below to learn about the solutions and services that can supercharge small businesses.

Key Considerations in Camera Deployment

When it comes to deploying camera systems, SMBs should consider a few factors:

Open vs. Closed Camera Systems: Teams must choose between open or closed camera ecosystems. In an open ecosystem, different camera models can communicate with each other. This allows companies to integrate existing systems with new solutions. However, in a closed system, only cameras and parts from the same manufacturer will work together.

UP NEXT: Keep reading more stories from our new publication BizTech: Small Business.

There are benefits and drawbacks to both. An open ecosystem allows teams to pick and choose what they want to upgrade, but it can also lead to gaps in coverage and issues with image storage and retrieval.

Closed systems provide consistency, but they are typically more expensive. For smaller businesses, an end-to-end upgrade may be prohibitively expensive.

Compliance Regulations: If SMBs opt for AI-enabled cameras, compliance is key. In fact, several states have drafted or passed face recognition legislation which governs the collection, use and storage of this data. Teams should also review applicable legislation and ensure that contractors are certified to do so under state law.

Strengthen Your Security With a Tech Partner

The right camera system enhances visibility and strengthens security, while the wrong one can waste valuable time and money.

To select the ideal setup, SMBs can partner with CDW and receive a comprehensive assessment of how their current camera system performs and where it falls short. With these insights, experts can design a clear plan for improvement.

This article is part of BizTech's AgilITy blog series.