Looking ahead to 2026 with Chris Ciabarra, Athena Security

As part of an online miniseries, Chris Ciabarra, Chief Technology Officer of Athena Security shares his industry predictions for 2026.

Can you tell me a bit about yourself, your job role and how long you have been at the company?

I’m the Chief Technology Officer at Athena Security and one of the company’s three co-founders.

I’ve been with Athena since its inception in 2018.

In my role as CTO, I lead the company’s technology strategy, product architecture and engineering execution, overseeing the development of our AI-driven security platforms and ensuring they meet real-world operational, safety and compliance requirements.

What are some of the key trends and predictions you think we will see in the security industry in 2026?

By 2026, we’ll see a major shift toward AI taking over continuous, high-attention security tasks that were traditionally dependent on constant human oversight, with screening, monitoring and decision-support increasingly handled in real time by AI while humans move into supervisory and escalation roles.

At the same time, new regulations are mandating the deployment of weapons-detection systems at all hospital entrances, making AI essential to automating screening, threat identification, compliance logging and audit trails across every entry point without significantly increasing staffing costs or slowing patient and visitor flow.

Overall, AI will play a critical role in reducing human fatigue and error, enforcing standardized procedures and ensuring consistent, scalable security coverage, allowing hospitals and other organizations to meet regulatory requirements while maintaining safety, efficiency and a welcoming environment.

What is one piece of advice you would give organisations and professionals as they head into 2026?

One key piece of advice for organizations and security professionals heading into 2026 is to invest in AI now rather than waiting. AI is rapidly becoming a foundational layer of modern security operations, not a future add-on.

Early investment allows organizations to build institutional knowledge, refine human-in-the-loop processes and adapt workflows before regulations, staffing pressures and threat complexity force rushed decisions.

Those who start now will be better positioned to scale efficiently, stay compliant and maintain a security advantage as AI becomes the industry standard.