Securitas Technology released its 2026 Global Technology Outlook Report on the state of security technology and the trends shaping the future of security investments over the coming years.

Now in its eighth year, the report is anticipated for its perspective and research on the trends driving the electronic security industry. It is the result of a unique combination of survey data of Securitas Technology clients and other end-user decision makers on security technology investments across multiple markets; contributions from security product manufacturers and technologists; and other expert insights across multiple technical disciplines.

“The Technology Outlook Report is grounded in our commitment to innovation, our deep connection to our clients and industry partners, and our data-based thought leadership,” said Tony Byerly, global president and CEO, Securitas Technology. “Our goal at Securitas Technology is to continue to be a trusted advisor in security technology, helping clients stay ahead of the evolving trends and topics shaping the future of the security industry. For eight years now, the Technology Outlook Report has delivered those insights to our clients across the globe and the security industry as a whole.”

The Top Technology Trends in 2026

The report identifies three key technology trends that will influence innovation and development by manufacturers and industry technologists as well as client buying decisions over the next several years:

• The rapid advancement in the use of artificial intelligence, with the emergence of generative Al (GenAl) for natural language searches, contextual understanding, and a range of automations.
• Cloud-based security systems as mainstream, with organizations focused on migration from on-premise infrastructure to the cloud for centralized management and improved scalability
• Advanced sensors finding wider adoption, as organizations seek to monitor a wider range of factors to support compliance, improve efficiency, foster sustainability, and enhance client and employee experiences.

Business Priorities Driving Security Technology Investment

In addition to technology trends, the report uncovers some of the major factors that are guiding security technology investment across industries and regions:

• Responding to increased volatility in the security environment through a focus on improving employee safety and crisis communications alongside strategies for risk intelligence, emergency preparedness, and disaster recovery.
• Proactive strategies for incident response through alarm management tools integrating multiple data sources, Al virtual agents for automation and human agent support, as well as threat anticipation.
• Deriving new value from security technology as systems leverage deep integrations with other business systems and the security function supports a wider range of organizational goals and needs, such as employee and customer experience, business and operational intelligence, and sustainability among others

Key Statistics from the Report

Securitas Technology’s global survey accumulates data from over 4,500 client respondents across 17 countries on their technology plans. This data combined with responses from an additional external market survey with over 575 end-user decision makers in the United States, France, United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, and Australia, highlights the extensive data-rich survey research presented in the Technology Outlook Report. These end-user insights include:

• Artificial intelligence is the top technology for investment over the next year (selected by 30% of respondents).
• Cloud adoption: 18% of organizations are fully cloud-based for security technology today, and 34% expect to be fully cloud based within five years.
• 48% of organizations are already using advanced sensors in their security program, and a further 35% plan to implement them in the next 12 – 18 months.

“This year’s report is packed with rich data sets and trends enabling us to provide clear insights on the evolving security technologies that are shaping the security roadmap and investments of tomorrow,” Byerly said.