Typically when we hear the term “Artificial Intelligence,” images of aliens, spaceships landing on Earth and Will Smith come to mind. While not exactly the extraterrestrial scene we may envision, Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is bringing human intelligence to everyday technologies. We are now able to form a relationship with our technology, use it to teach it about our behaviors and to improve how our businesses and communities operate.

Consider all the ways AI makes our lives easier…

We are already accustomed to Amazon’s anticipatory shipping practices, where the company identifies items we may want to buy before we even begin our search, and Netflix is aptly curating movie recommendations in advance of any decisions we make. AI is transforming how we operate and rely on technology, enabling humans to work more efficiently and effectively than ever before, making our jobs simpler, our efforts more calculated and our outputs more accurate. Whether technology is simplifying our everyday experiences or predicting what we will want next, it is bringing a deeply personal experience to us all.

But how is Artificial Intelligence impacting our personal security and the way we keep our organizations safe? Enter the new wave of security, where AI meets traditional surveillance practices: intelligent video analytics.

While some traditional security measures in place today do have a significant impact in terms of decreasing crime or preventing theft, today video analytics gives security officers a technological edge that no surveillance camera alone can provide.

Surveillance systems that include video analytics analyze video footage in real-time and detect abnormal activities that could pose a threat to an organization’s security. Essentially, video analytics technology helps security software “learn” what is normal so it can identify unusual, and potentially harmful, behavior that a human alone may miss.

It does this in two ways; first by observing objects in a monitored environment and detecting when humans and vehicles are present, and second by taking operator feedback about the accuracy of various events and incorporating this intelligence into the system itself, thus improving its functionality. This interaction between operator and technology results in a “teachable” system: Artificial Intelligence at its best in the realm of security where ultimately, human oversight takes a backseat to the fine-tuned capabilities of intelligent video analytics.

Eliminating human error is a key driver behind bringing Artificial Intelligence to security through intelligent video analytics. Studies have shown that humans engaged in mundane tasks have a directed attention capacity for up to 20 minutes, after which the human attention span begins to decrease. In addition, when humans are faced with multiple items at one time, attention spans will decrease even more rapidly. Therefore, video analytics are beginning to take the place of initial human judgment in an effort to increase operational efficiency.

While a security officer might miss a person sneaking into a poorly lit facility, a camera backed with intelligent video analytics is designed to catch a flash on the screen and recognize it as a potential threat. Or it will spot a person loitering at the perimeter of a schoolyard and alert on-the-ground security officials to investigate and take action if necessary, all without missing a beat and keeping close watch on the many cameras and locations.

Rather than depend on solely human monitoring, AI-powered systems instead notify security teams of potential threats as they happen, helping businesses prevent break-ins or illegal activity, as well as increasing human accuracy.

Artificial Intelligence helps people do their jobs better, thereby making our lives easier and our locations safer. Whether securing our businesses, cities or homes, or providing more curated online shopping and entertainment experiences, Artificial Intelligence is making technology more personal and purposeful than ever before.

Dr. Mahesh Saptharishi is Senior Vice President of Analytics and Data Science for Avigilon.