Axis Communications has released its latest research report, ‘The State of AI in Video Surveillance,’ which explores global industry perspectives on the use of AI in the security industry and beyond.

he report reveals current attitudes on AI technologies thanks to in-depth interviews with AI experts from Axis’ global network and a comprehensive survey of more than 5,800 respondents, including distributors, channel partners, and end customers across 68 countries. The resulting insights cover AI integration and the opportunities and challenges that exist with regard to security, safety, business intelligence, and operational efficiency.

“AI remains one of the most powerful and transformative technologies within the video surveillance industry today,” said Mats Thulin, director, AI & Analytics Solutions, Axis Communications. “This new research reveals that while there are significant opportunities for AI to improve safety and security alongside business intelligence and operational efficiency, there must be a focus on ethical implementation and meaningful integrations to drive continuous value.”

Axis’ research found that 62 percent of partners identify “AI and generative AI” as one of the most significant trends shaping the industry's future, compared to 34 percent of end customers. This positions AI as the top trend for partner businesses — tied with “cybersecurity, risk, and privacy,” which also garnered 62 percent. Among end customers, however, AI ranks third, with “cybersecurity, risk, and privacy” leading at 61 percent. Additionally, half of partner respondents highlighted “analytics and actionable insights” as a key trend, while 36 percent of end customers agree.

Overall, the focus on AI and analytics signals a growing industry understanding of the many benefits of AI adoption, including greater efficiency, improved decision-making, and enhanced output quality. However, end customers consider cybersecurity, risk, and privacy to be a higher priority when it comes to technology integration, which likely signals ongoing ethical and compliance-related concerns surrounding AI. Trust, responsibility, and accountability will be critical if providers hope to lead customers toward greater AI integration.

Top Trends and Opportunities for AI in Video Surveillance

• AI adoption surges – with inconsistencies between markets: AI adoption appears to be more advanced in certain markets like the United States, Japan, Singapore, and certain parts of Europe, where customers are actively seeking AI solutions to improve surveillance capabilities and operational efficiency.
• The transition to cloud and edge AI continues to accelerate: Hybrid architectures are emerging as the preferred approach by many, combining the immediate processing capabilities of edge AI on cameras with the scalability and long-term data storage of the cloud.
• The integration of diverse data sources persists: Integrating additional sensory data to complement video data will continue, making an ongoing impact on safety and security while elevating business intelligence capabilities.
• Close partnership and collaboration help with effective, responsible AI integration: The ethical challenges associated with the rapid deployment of AI technologies, including solutions like facial recognition, underscore the importance of choosing the right partners with aligned values — especially in areas like privacy, compliance, and view on AI ethics.

‘The State of AI in Video Surveillance’ report combines insights from eleven in-depth interviews with carefully selected experts from Axis’ global partner network, each demonstrating a proven track record and extensive expertise in the field of AI. Complementing the interview findings are 4,900 survey responses from distributors and channel partners in 68 countries, as well as 900 survey responses from end customers in 64 countries. All interviews and surveys were conducted in 2024.