In December 2024, the Security Industry Association (SIA) announced the 2025 Security Megatrends, and this list of top trends tells the story of an industry in flux. There are value changes (video surveillance transforming into visual intelligence); there are technology changes (artificial intelligence, mobile credentials, advanced detection technologies); there are deliver model changes (SaaS, Haas, DaaS and a Managed Services Future); and there are fundamental alignment issues (the systemic undervaluation of security and IT-OT security convergence).

At SIA, we produce this list of security industry megatrends by leveraging surveys, extensive focus groups with industry executives, content from Securing New Ground speakers and participants and one-to-one conversations with leaders and luminaries in the industry. Following that process, we are happy to announce that the SIA Security Megatrends for 2025 are:

1. Evolution of the Channel
2. AI: Intelligent Automation of Security
3. Correcting the Systemic Undervaluation of Security
4. Visual Intelligence, Not Video Surveillance
5. IT-OT Security Convergence
6. Platform Aggregation
7. Democratization of Identity and Mobile Credentials
8. Growth of Advanced Detection Technologies
9. Shift of Influence From Hardware to Software
10. SaaS, HaaS, DaaS and a Managed Services Future

Notable for 2025 is that the megatrend topping our list is the “Evolution of the Channel” – the megatrend that summarizes the dramatic changes that are most directly impacting security integrators. This is because the integrator —  the core reader of this magazine — sits in that unique nexus where business model and technology delivery changes meet technological advancement, changing end-user requirements, distribution industry shifts and evolving goals from clients in terms of the value their security investments provide. The integrator, more than any other segment of our industry, has to be able to adapt to more changes — and do so quickly.

For this article, I want to touch upon three areas where we think there is real change, friction or opportunity.

1. The Direct-to-Customer Business Model From Solution Providers

For security integrators, the biggest business challenge they are facing is that security management software platforms and AI-enabled solutions are increasingly being delivered in a software-as-a-service model that rarely provides revenue back to the security integrator, according to Bill Bozeman, who today runs a strategic consulting firm that serves integrators and investors.

“The value is in the predictable, high-margin recurring revenue business model,” said Bozeman, who serves as one of the group of advisors that helps us review the annual megatrends. “Many [software-as-a-service] companies provide little to no recurring revenue back to the integrators, or only begrudgingly provide some points back to the integrator [that sold or installed that service].”

This lack of connection to recurring revenue presents challenges to an integrator. For example, not only would a consistent source of recurring revenue make the integration business more valuable but more practically, that consistent income would allow the integrator to invest in the business — money with which to do things like better train employees on new AI technologies or to spend recruiting team members who bring prized cyber skills. The lesson here to integrators: Don’t be afraid to ask for part of the recurring revenue pie!

2. A Changing Role of the Distributor & New Entrants

Eric Yunag, executive vice president of products and services for Convergint, said that there is also pain being felt as firms that we might have classified as IT product distributors (think firms like Ingram Micro) have begun to deliver security technology equipment in addition to their usual suites of servers and networking components. These companies today are not only offering basic technical support and basic kitting and staging, but also doing even initial configuration of security systems technologies — work that would have squarely been part of the security integrator’s duties and value proposition.

3. Technological Upheaval Leading to Specialization & Role Changes

There’s no doubt our industry is seeing incredible technological advancements coming from the product and solution developers, and it’s admittedly not going to be easy for an integrator to keep up with the pace of technology change — particularly in the area of new AI-driven applications.

What many are saying is that with the pace of technology change and technological diversification, there’s an opportunity for either 1. the integrator to specialize in a particular expertise area (e.g., become focused on identity integration services and mobile credentialing) or 2. To grow into a master services role, where the top focus of the integrator is on the end user’s requirements, functioning as an air traffic controller to coordinate a variety of other specialized installing firms. For the latter model, many end users speaking at Securing New Ground and quoted in the 2025 Security Megatrends report recommended a model where the systems integrator is able to embed a technically skilled individual directly with their larger clients — either on a full- or part-time basis. Such a move creates not only deeper connections with the client, but gives integrators a direct lens into the business operations of their clients and allows them to not only better manage existing systems, but to anticipate their client’s needs.

Go Deeper

The annual Security Megatrends report from SIA features 32 pages of analysis of trends like these shaping our industry. The 2025 report is available for download from SIA’s website here.