Strategist or Futurist: The Crossroads Defining Physical Security’s Next Era

I’ve had the privilege of being active in the physical security industry for many years. Since 1998, I’ve witnessed firsthand how technology has reshaped our field—concepts once whispered in conference corridors are now mainstream. But as we stand on the brink of another wave of innovation, I find myself asking: Are we truly ready for what’s next? In my view, the answer is a resounding no. Through this article, I hope to pose some critical questions that will challenge your thinking.  Are you a strategist or a futurist?

A Little History

Twenty-six years ago, what we now call network video was closed-circuit television (CCTV) and a standalone system, like every other technology of the day.  Visitor management, access control, and other critical security functions were not integrated, and most of the time, they relied on human interaction to identify threats, illicit behaviors, and security breaches. If you were lucky enough to have an access control system and card, it used magnetic stripes or Weigand technology (coded wires embedded in the card). 

H.264 video technology, also known as Advanced Video Coding (AVC) or MPEG-4 Part 10, was officially released and approved in 2003. It was developed collaboratively by the ITU-T Video Coding Experts Group (VCEG) and the ISO/IEC Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG). This technology quickly became the industry standard for video compression due to its ability to deliver high-quality video while significantly reducing file size. Its impact was transformative, not only for online streaming and digital media but also for the security industry, where it replaced the older VGA format as the dominant standard. Interestingly, this shift was primarily driven by consumer expectations. 

As people experienced high-definition video on their home televisions, they began to question why a similar level of quality wasn’t available in professional environments, such as security monitoring centers. This demand helped accelerate the adoption of H.264 in security applications, leading to a new era of clarity, efficiency, and effectiveness in video surveillance.

The concept of Physical Security Information Management (PSIM) was introduced to the security industry in 2006, marking a pivotal shift in how information from previously isolated security systems, such as video surveillance, access control, and intrusion detection, could be unified into a single platform. This integration aimed to enhance situational awareness and streamline control within security operations centers.

PSIM was the first technology to apply business-oriented data management principles to physical security, aiming to improve decision-making by consolidating data from disparate systems. However, PSIM platforms functioned primarily as middleware—software that connects different systems—which limited their overall effectiveness and scalability.

Challenges to PSIM Adoption

Technical & Integration Barriers

PSIMS were proprietary systems: Many early security technologies were closed and difficult to integrate. The manufacturers of PSIMS overpromised capabilities: PSIMS often failed to deliver a truly unified interface, leading to user frustration. Data inconsistency: varying data quality across systems made centralized management unreliable and limited scalability. Implementing PSIMs in large enterprises was often cumbersome and lacked flexibility.

Organizational & Business Barriers

PSIMs were very expensive; the software, hardware, and integration services made it difficult to justify the return on investment. There was a lack of awareness and trust between IT and security teams, which slowed down adoption, and the compliance concerns of integrating multiple data sources raised regulatory and privacy challenges, adding complexity and cost. While PSIM laid the groundwork for more integrated security management, its limitations highlighted the need for solutions that are more adaptable, scalable, and user-friendly.

In 2006, I publicly declared PSIMs dead on arrival and asked the industry why we could not have plug-and-play technology for physical security devices and platforms. At the time, several promising initiatives were underway.  Unfortunately, we entered another phase that I had not predicted, which I call “the alliances.”

Key Open Architecture Initiatives

• Open Supervised Device Protocol (OSDP), developed by the Security Industry Association (SIA). OSDP enabled secure, bidirectional communication between access control devices (e.g., card readers and controllers), supporting encryption, tamper detection, and interoperability across vendors.
• ONVIF (Open Network Video Interface Forum) is intended to be a global standard for IP-based video surveillance and access control. ONVIF promotes interoperability between cameras, video management systems (VMS), and other devices. ONVIF has been widely adopted across manufacturers to ensure compatibility and scalability.
• Physical Security Interoperability Alliance (PSIA), focused on open specifications for access control, video analytics, and identity management, recently introduced PKOC (Public Key Open Credential) for secure, interoperable smart cards and mobile credentials.
• MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) is a lightweight protocol for IoT devices in security systems. It enables real-time updates and alerts across low-bandwidth networks.
• SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) is used for monitoring and managing network-connected security devices and helps track performance and configure devices remotely.

None of these initiatives has resulted in a universally accepted open architecture for integrating physical security devices, as Microsoft has accomplished for computers and business systems.

The Alliances: Reflections on Industry Evolution

Following the decline of PSIM platforms, it was anticipated that there would be a natural progression toward open-architecture solutions, fostering true interoperability and innovation. However, the industry once again took an unexpected turn with the emergence of what I’ve come to call “The Alliances.”

These alliances represent collaborative efforts among like-minded manufacturers who align around a shared architecture to expand market presence. In essence, manufacturers who adopt the alliance’s specifications benefit from mutual promotion and integration within the group’s ecosystem.

While the concept of alliances is both strategic and promising, it falls short of the level of openness and flexibility our industry requires. To move forward meaningfully, we must continue advocating for platforms that prioritize interoperability, transparency, and long-term sustainability.

Building Smarter Security: The Strategic Value of Integration Alliances

In today’s rapidly evolving physical security landscape, alliances among industry leaders such as Honeywell, Sony, Genetec, and Lenel are reshaping how organizations protect their people and assets. These partnerships are designed to create interoperable, scalable, and flexible ecosystems that unify technologies such as video surveillance, access control, intrusion detection, and analytics into a single, cohesive platform.

By enabling centralized control and situational awareness, these alliances improve operational efficiency and response times. They also offer organizations the flexibility to integrate new technologies without overhauling existing infrastructure, making it easier to scale security systems to meet changing needs. Tailored solutions enable both small facilities and large enterprises to align their security strategies with their unique operational objectives.

Beyond functionality, these collaborations foster innovation. By combining expertise across domains such as AI, biometrics, and cloud-based management, vendors deliver smarter, more intuitive systems. Integrated platforms also support compliance with industry standards and enhance resilience through coordinated threat response and secure data handling.

However, the path to true open architecture, where systems connect seamlessly like plug-and-play devices, remains challenging. Proprietary ecosystems, technical complexity, and fragmented standards hinder interoperability. Business models built around vendor lock-in and organizational resistance further slow progress.

Despite these barriers, the industry is moving forward. Companies like Genetec are championing open architecture to support flexible design, scalable growth, and long-term investment protection. As demand grows for adaptable and future-proof solutions, integration alliances will continue to play a vital role in shaping the next generation of security infrastructure.

API and Web Parts in Physical Security Integration

Interestingly, many of the challenges we faced with earlier integration models, such as PSIM, are resurfacing in today’s more advanced environments, particularly those involving APIs and Web Parts. While these technologies offer powerful capabilities, they also introduce new complexities that the industry must navigate thoughtfully.

APIs, or Application Programming Interfaces, are foundational to modern physical security integration. They serve as structured bridges between different software systems, allowing them to communicate, exchange data, and share functionality. For example, a security dashboard might use an API to pull real-time data from access control systems or video surveillance platforms. The benefits of APIs are significant: they simplify integration, enable automation, and allow developers to build upon existing systems to create more responsive and intelligent solutions.

Web Parts, on the other hand, are modular components commonly used in web-based platforms like Microsoft SharePoint. These components allow users to display and interact with data directly on a webpage. In the context of physical security, a Web Part might show a live camera feed, a list of recent security alerts, or a chart of access events. Their key advantages include ease of customization, user-friendly interfaces, and the ability for non-developers to build dashboards or portals by simply dragging and dropping components.

Together, APIs and Web Parts are transforming how physical security systems are integrated and managed. APIs enable disparate systems, such as access control, intrusion detection, and visitor management, to work together seamlessly. They support real-time data exchange, automate workflows (like locking doors when a threat is detected), and facilitate remote access via cloud or mobile platforms. Additionally, they enhance analytics by aggregating data from multiple devices into centralized dashboards.

Web Parts complement this by providing intuitive, visual interfaces for interacting with that data. Security teams can create tailored dashboards that combine feeds from various systems, visualize device status and events, and even control devices directly from the interface. They also allow integration with third-party services, such as maps or external threat intelligence, to enhance situational awareness.

While these technologies offer tremendous promise, they also highlight the need for true openness and interoperability in our industry. Alliances and proprietary ecosystems, while strategic, often fall short of delivering the flexibility and scalability required for long-term success. To truly advance, we must continue advocating for standards-based integration that empowers innovation and collaboration across the entire security landscape.

Are You a Strategist or a Futurist?

Now that we’ve laid the groundwork, let’s ask the fundamental question: Are you a Strategist or a Futurist?

Strategist vs. Futurist in the Physical Security Industry

In the fast-evolving world of physical security, both strategists and futurists play essential, but distinct roles. Their approaches differ in how they anticipate threats, shape solutions, and guide organizations through uncertainty.

Strategist: Grounded in the Present

A strategist focuses on current realities and near-term planning. Their work is rooted in analyzing past performance and current trends, developing actionable plans based on known risks and technologies, optimizing resources to meet existing security goals, and forecasting future outcomes based on historical data and incremental changes. Strategists are essential for implementing robust and reliable systems, such as upgrading access control or integrating AI surveillance, based on proven models.

Futurist: Oriented Toward Possibility

A futurist, by contrast, explores long-term possibilities and emerging disruptions. Their work involves horizon scanning for weak signals and wildcard events (low probability, high impact), scenario planning to imagine multiple plausible futures, interpreting cultural and systemic shifts that may affect security paradigms, and anticipating discontinuities like quantum computing or societal upheaval that could render current strategies obsolete. Futurists help organizations stay agile and adaptive in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world.

Why Both Matter

In the physical security industry, where AI, biometrics, and the convergence of cyber and physical systems are transforming the landscape, the fusion of both roles is increasingly vital.

• Strategists ensure operational excellence today
• Futurists prepare organizations to thrive tomorrow, even amid disruption

Together, they create a dynamic security posture that’s both resilient and visionary.

Strategist vs. Futurist in the Physical Security Industry—Refined for AI, Machine Learning & the Fifth Industrial Revolution

As the Fifth Industrial Revolution (5IR) reshapes industries through human-AI collaboration, the roles of strategists and futurists in physical security are undergoing a dramatic evolution. Here's how they differ—and complement each other—in this new era:

Strategist: Architect of AI-Enhanced Security Today

Strategists in the 5IR context are implementation-focused leaders who harness current AI and machine learning tools to optimize physical security systems.

Key Traits:

• AI Integration: Deploy AI-powered surveillance, facial recognition, and predictive analytics to improve threat detection and response times.
• Machine Learning for Risk Management: Use ML algorithms to identify patterns in access logs, detect anomalies, and automate alerts.
• Human-AI Collaboration: Strategists now design systems where AI insights augment human intuition—e.g., pairing security personnel with real-time AI threat assessments.
• Ethical Guardrails: Ensure AI systems are transparent, fair, and aligned with privacy standards.

Example:

A strategist might lead the rollout of an AI-driven access control system that learns employee behavior and flags unusual activity, while ensuring compliance with ethical AI standards.

Futurist: Visionary of Security’s Cognitive Future

Futurists in the 5IR are explorers of possibility, imagining how emerging technologies and societal shifts will redefine physical security.

Key Traits:

• Horizon Scanning: Monitor developments in quantum computing, biosecurity, and AI ethics that could disrupt current security paradigms.
• Scenario Planning: Envision futures where drones, autonomous agents, and ambient intelligence reshape surveillance and threat response.
• Human-Centric Innovation: Advocate for security systems that prioritize human dignity, accessibility, and psychological safety.
• Cognitive Risk Awareness: Anticipate risks from AI-driven misinformation, deepfakes, and algorithmic bias in security decision-making.

Example:

A futurist might explore how AI-powered emotional recognition could be utilized in crowd control, while also raising ethical concerns about potential surveillance overreach.

Why This Matters in the 5IR

In the Fifth Industrial Revolution, strategists will build the bridge, and futurists will chart the destination. Together, they ensure that physical security is not only technologically advanced—but also ethically grounded and future-ready.

What Does the Future Hold—and Are We Ready to Embrace It?

Despite rapid technological advancement, many current financial incentives continue to reinforce the status quo in the physical security industry. Design, engineering, and integration costs often account for 25% to 45% of total project expenditures, creating a business model that benefits from complexity rather than simplicity. This dynamic can discourage innovation and slow the adoption of more efficient, interoperable solutions.

To truly capitalize on the future, our industry must embrace open architecture. This approach has already transformed sectors like information technology and IoT, delivering seamless interoperability, faster innovation cycles, and enhanced user experiences. Consider how easily vulnerabilities are patched in modern IT environments—devices automatically update without manual intervention. Or how productivity tools like Microsoft Office run fluidly across Apple and Windows platforms, and how communication apps like Zoom and Teams operate on virtually any device.

In contrast, physical security systems remain siloed. Running three cameras from different manufacturers on the same network still requires significant investment in integration, middleware, or proprietary solutions. This lack of openness limits scalability, increases costs, and hinders the adoption of emerging technologies.

Embracing the Future: Connected Intelligence and Agentic AI in a Transforming World

While the physical security industry continues to grapple with legacy systems and proprietary limitations, other sectors are already capitalizing on the transformative potential of emerging technologies. Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Connected Data, Quantum Computing, and Agentic AI are no longer concepts of the future—they are actively reshaping industries today.

Consider the following examples:

• Healthcare is leveraging telehealth, personalized medicine, and predictive diagnostics to improve patient outcomes and accessibility.
• Transportation & Logistics are optimizing operations through fleet tracking, cargo monitoring, and intelligent supply chain management.
• Retail is enhancing customer experience with real-time inventory management, personalized engagement, and demand forecasting.
• Public Services are deploying smart city infrastructure, improving school safety, and coordinating emergency response with greater precision.
• Smart Buildings are integrating systems for energy efficiency, security, and occupant comfort, creating more responsive and sustainable environments.

At the heart of this transformation is a concept known as Connected Intelligence, the seamless integration of data, technology, and human insight to enable smarter, faster, and more adaptive decision-making. This marks a shift from siloed systems and isolated analytics to a dynamic ecosystem where information flows freely and is continuously leveraged for strategic advantage.

Core Components of Connected Intelligence

1. Data Integration: Aggregating structured and unstructured data from diverse sources such as sensors, devices, and platforms.
2. AI & ML Models: Applying predictive analytics and inferencing to generate actionable insights.
3. Real-Time Processing: Utilizing edge and cloud computing to analyze data as it is generated.
4. Human-Machine Collaboration: Enhancing decision-making by combining algorithmic outputs with human judgment.

Strategic Benefits

1. Improved Decision-Making: Enables rapid response to changing conditions and emerging threats.
2. Operational Efficiency: Reduces waste, optimizes resource allocation, and boosts productivity.
3. Risk Management: Facilitates early threat detection and proactive mitigation.
4. Innovation Enablement: Supports the development of new products, services, and business models.

Complementing Connected Intelligence is the rise of Agentic AI—a class of artificial intelligence systems designed to act autonomously and purposefully to achieve specific goals with minimal human supervision. These systems comprise intelligent agents capable of perceiving their environment, reasoning, making decisions, and executing tasks in real-time.

Key Characteristics of Agentic AI

1. Autonomy: Operates independently, managing multistep tasks and maintaining long-term objectives.
2. Goal-Driven Behavior: Pursues objectives based on user input or environmental conditions without explicit instructions.
3. Adaptability: Learns from experience, adjusts strategies based on feedback, and improves performance through reinforcement learning.
4. Orchestration of Multiple Agents: Coordinates specialized agents to complete complex workflows.
5. Tool Integration: Interfaces with external systems (APIs, databases, IoT devices) for real-time data collection and action.
6. Natural Language Interfaces: Uses large language models (LLMs) to understand and respond to human language, enhancing usability.

Applications for Agentic AI

• Healthcare: Real-time patient monitoring and adaptive treatment planning.
• Cybersecurity: Autonomous threat detection and response.
• Finance: Intelligent trading based on live market analysis.
• Customer Support: Context-aware chatbots and virtual assistants.
• Enterprise Automation: Streamlined workflows, onboarding, and data analysis.

Embracing the Future

To truly embrace the future, we must adopt open architecture, break down silos, and align with the principles of Connected Intelligence and Agentic AI—where data, technology, and human insight converge to drive smarter, faster, and more adaptive decision-making. Other industries are already leading the way. The physical security industry must follow—not just to keep pace, but to lead with purpose.

So, I ask again: Are you a strategist, rooted in the present? Or are you a futurist, envisioning what’s next?