Experts Predict Which Physical Security Developments Will Be Big in 2024

It’s now a new year and with that comes a reflection on what rests on the horizon.

Security Magazine sat down with a range of security stakeholders who outlined what big physical security innovations and breakthroughs will be on everyone’s radars over the next 12 months.

Here’s a look at what they predict:

AI is the name of the game

Jordan Avnaim, Entrust’s CISO, told the magazine that physical and cyber security measures work wonders when integrated seamlessly with one another. The opposite is the case when these security disciplines are siloed.

He cautioned that the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and deepfakes “makes it difficult for even the most seasoned security professionals, and corresponding systems, to spot fake documents and IDs”

This is a major challenge, especially since Avnaim said that physical security access controls “are now easily replicable with inexpensive commercially available tools.”

These words should give all security professionals pause.

He added that the coming year will be one where it’s crucial that companies “invest in protocols and technologies that can spot these falsified documents and validate users’ identities.”

Dean Philips, Director of Public Sector Programs at Noname Security, echoed that 2024 will be the year of AI. He envisions a schism forming between the private and public sectors — government AI policies will be put in place, but confusion over how that applies to private enterprise will become a big issue.

“These private entities will adhere to a wide range of AI approaches, and many will choose to create their own policies,” he added.

Doug Gray, Chief Technology Officer at Amazon Business, added that companies will make significant investment in analytics and insight tools, automation, and AI-driven optimization for improved efficiency.

Behavioral analytics powered by new technology

Jeff Hauk, Director, Public Safety and Police Authority Services at Memorial Healthcare, told the magazine that physical security in 2024 will see a big push in the use of behavioral analytics, threat assessment, and management teams.

“Overall, the deployment of behavioral analytics and threat assessment and management teams provides a comprehensive and dynamic approach to protective operations, combining technological insights with human expertise to be more situationally aware and proactive against potential threats,” he said.

Like the other experts, Hauk explained that AI and machine learning will be big players in physical security. They will be utilized to respond to potential threats before they happen — and security officials will respond to those threats immediately by way of IoT devices.

Additionally, he said there will be a continued use of robotic tech like drones to patrol companies’ physical campuses. This will be especially useful in getting a clear-eyed look at locations that are hard to access.

Essentially, for all these industry leaders, rapidly evolving technology will only continue to shape physical security in a way that many might not have envisioned just five years ago.

As bad actors harness these tools themselves, it’s important that physical security professionals master new technologies and keep their companies and associated assets safe.