Axis Communications reveals new research on AI and surveillance

Axis Communications has announced the release of its new research report, ‘The State of AI in Video Surveillance.’

The company states that the report explores global industry perspectives on the use of AI in the security industry and beyond.

The report

The report reveals current attitudes on AI technologies due to in-depth interviews with AI experts from Axis’ global network and a comprehensive survey across 68 countries and more than 5,800 respondents, including:

• Distributors
• Channel partners
• End customers

The resulting insights cover AI integration and the opportunities and challenges that exist with regard to security, safety, business intelligence and operational efficiency.

“Powerful and transformative”

Mats Thulin, Director, AI & Analytics Solutions, Axis Communications commented: “AI remains one of the most powerful and transformative technologies within the video surveillance industry today.

“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.”

AI’s Impact on Partners and End Customers

Axis highlights that its research found that:

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

The company spotlights that 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

Axis Communications highlights that the top trends and opportunities for AI in video surveillance include:

• AI adoption surges: AI adoption appears to be more advanced in certain markets like the US, 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: 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
• Integration: 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: 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

Report methodology

‘The State of AI in Video Surveillance’ report combines insights from 11 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.

To read the full report on ‘The State of AI in Video Surveillance’, click this link.