The 2026 Security Roadmap: An Interview with Steve Van Till on SIA’s Latest Megatrends

Does that apply to the security industry? I would say it does around the edges, particularly with standalone AI analytics. However, the security industry has tremendous moats. First, we are a very physical industry. Replicating a messaging platform is one thing; integrating dozens of devices with hardware and firmware is much harder for an LLM to figure out and test on its own. Second is distribution. We rely on systems integrators to make these systems work in a given building for a given customer. That method of deployment is a significant moat that prevents the “AI eats software” scenario from developing here to the same extent it might in other industries, at least for now.

The fight between “walled gardens” and “open platforms” is at least as old as the PC era. The walled garden model offers a single logo and the assurance that everything will work together, which appeals to some mid-market or smaller businesses.

However, the walled garden model can cut people off from the choices they want regarding third-party hardware and software. This is particularly important at the enterprise level.

At Brivo, we offer a hybrid. You can choose a single-logo experience by using all Brivo components if you want that simplicity. But because we have an open API and hundreds of integrations, you can also bring in outside technology and still have it operate inside the Brivo Security Suite. We believe that the ability to choose where you land on that spectrum is more effective than being locked into a single provider’s roadmap, which might not move as fast as your business needs.

The software world is always changing, and new business systems constantly need to be integrated into access control and video. Without open APIs, you are boxed into the technology that was current when you first deployed your system. Open APIs provide the foundation to connect to any new system that comes along, allowing you to expand functionality as your business needs grow.

Because more of the security budget is going toward software, security directors are in a better position to make a case for ROI based on functionality. Modern security platforms can integrate with hundreds of business systems, such as HR, CRM, and logistics.

A simple example is a gym using access control tied to membership status. The system allows people in if they are current and keeps them out if they are expired. It is very clear to any CFO that this is a necessary business function that protects revenue. As we accelerate the ability to develop business features that improve customer experience, it becomes much easier to make the case that security is an ROI driver, not just a cost.

One of our large retail customers uses a strategy called “dark delivery” to move their trucks at night when roads are less crowded. They connected their logistics scheduling system to our identity API to automatically manage credentials for their drivers. This allows them to maintain an accurate list of who is allowed in which store, even as drivers and schedules change daily.

That is a prime example of using access control not just for security, but to manage a dynamic workforce and solve a core logistics problem. We recently published, From Cost Center to Competitive Advantage: 5 Ways Physical Security Drives Enterprise Transformation, which is filled with stories like this.

It is about selling the problem you are solving rather than just the tool. This collaboration ensures that products are developed in a context that customers truly understand and value.

As a committee, we groom the list to remove anything overhyped or past its prime. For example, cloud is now considered a “foundational” technology rather than an up-and-coming one. AI is currently on the ascendancy, but in a few years, it will also be a foundational part of how we do things. While there is still some public skepticism or fear, AI is already in most products we use online, and it will soon be everywhere in the security industry as well.

We use AI in about six different ways, starting with machine learning for anomaly detection to find deviations in normal traffic patterns. We just announced Brivo Genius Mobile Agent, a natural language capability that allows users to interact with their security system via voice or text. This is a major improvement for security because, in an emergency or panic situation, you may not remember how to use a complex software command. Being able to simply tell your phone to “lock down” provides a much better and more accessible implementation of critical security features.