AI-based Risk Mitigation: The Next Advancement in Video Surveillance and Public Safety
- By Michael Peveler
- February 27, 2025
Safety is at the forefront of every organization and covers a gamut of scenarios, not just weapon-fueled lethal threats. It also includes smaller-scale and everyday situations like slipping hazards, fallen persons, unauthorized vehicles, and more. These issues cause disruptions in daily operations and cost companies and facilities money and downtime, so a fully realized security plan must involve actions that facility personnel should take once a hazard of any size occurs. Informing everyone that a hazard exists, where it’s located, and what actions to take is imperative for maintaining personal safety.
AI-powered risk mitigation and threat detection technologies are becoming increasingly important components of a facility’s comprehensive safety strategy. When overlayed with existing video surveillance systems, the threat detection software continually monitors live digital security camera feeds to detect threats in real time, providing a constant shield of protection. These platforms don't just identify risks; they proactively protect against danger from day-to-day hazards and more critical incidents such as weapon detection and violent acts.
Albeit important, risk mitigation and threat detection software is just one aspect of a facility’s layered security solution, which needs three key capabilities from their overarching communication and security solution:
- detect potential or active problems
- inform the right people instantly and effectively
- manage incidents to a successful resolution.
Achieving those goals requires a robust solution that includes a mass notification or reliable and modern public address system, video surveillance coupled with AI machine learning risk mitigation software, and a central platform to automate announcements, instructions, and support response plans once threats are identified. The seamless integration of these systems can enhance situational awareness, improve response times, and provide real-time information to keep onsite personnel safe and notify first responders as necessary.
How Risk Mitigation Works
Risk mitigation and threat detection solutions turn a traditionally reactive or archiving system of security cameras into a proactive, predictive detection system without adding additional security headcount and successfully outperforming human-based detection.
By pairing breakthrough AI technology with existing security camera infrastructure, the resulting solution protects against a growing collection of risks, including gun violence and less severe risks, such as slip and fall hazards, trespassing, and more.
The AI technology analyzes patterns and anomalies in the camera feeds without storing or using personally identifiable information (PII) or facial recognition. Some software uses a simple, non-disruptive connection between cameras and a video management system, router, or switch — all that’s needed is minimal space for equipment, power, and a network connection.
They autonomously scan for hazards in real-time without human fallacies that include getting bored, fatigued, or distracted. They continue to learn and refine their data sets of risk identification over time. Once a risk is identified, it can be programmed to require human interaction to take action or can initiate pre-programmed notification processes based on alert severity through a central mass communication platform. Those notifications can include audio and visual responses onsite via mass notification endpoints and alerts to staff, stakeholders, and law enforcement via text or desktop notifications.
These highly scalable platforms are suitable for facilities of all sizes. They can be tailored to meet specific security needs, whether for small buildings or large campuses. The system's flexibility allows for customization based on the unique requirements of different environments (both indoor and outdoor), ensuring that the platform can adapt to changing security needs.
Risk Mitigation Example
One of Iowa’s fastest-growing K-12 school districts was looking for a way to make its buildings safer without interrupting the learning environment, creating privacy issues, or overspending its budget. Rising gun violence was a top concern, but so was securing the buildings in the evenings and on weekends.
This K-12 district installed a risk mitigation and threat detection platform and customized its detection parameters based on its specific needs. Different alerts were created based on the type of hazard detected, and the system was programmed to alert appropriate people responsible for that type of threat via a central software solution when a detection occurred. There were no privacy issues because the platform does not store PII or use facial recognition.
The platform provides multiple levels of protection for a variety of situations, such as students in the building alone after hours. Pre-determined stakeholders receive a trespassing alert, allowing administrators to address the situation immediately. If an injury had occurred and a student was unable to get up, a fallen person alert would have ensured help arrived quickly. The district’s administrators used this example to re-educate staff on potential liabilities and the importance of complying with standard operating procedures.
In less than one year, the district was alerted to 829 risks, including spills, falls, trespassing, and more.
Simplifying the Security Landscape
Risk mitigation and threat detection platforms are becoming indispensable in modern security plans. The rapid dissemination of information during emergencies, coupled with advanced risk detection technologies, enhances overall safety and preparedness. Organizations can successfully implement these advanced security measures by fostering collaboration across departments, ensuring transparent communication, and emphasizing the long-term benefits. As the security landscape continues to evolve, embracing these technologies is essential for maintaining robust and adaptive security strategies. With continuous advancements in AI and machine learning, risk mitigation platforms will evolve to offer even more sophisticated threat detection capabilities.