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Global survey finds rising modernisation, growing AI interest, and stronger demand for long-term vendor stability.
Genetec has released its sixth annual State of Physical Security report, revealing a sector undergoing rapid transformation as organisations shift from viewing security as a protective afterthought to positioning it as a core enterprise function.
Based on responses from more than 7,300 security leaders worldwide, the findings show increased cross-department collaboration, accelerated modernisation efforts, and sharp growth in interest for AI and hybrid cloud models.
According to the survey, physical security systems are being deployed to support organisational performance rather than purely safeguarding assets. Christian Morin, Genetec’s vice president of product engineering, said the report underscores a fundamental reframing of how security contributes to business value.
“As it becomes more tightly woven into the broader fabric of the enterprise, security is emerging as a genuine enabler of business outcomes – helping organisations work more cohesively, respond more effectively, and stay focused on long-term goals,” Morin said.
Modernisation has become a priority as organisations update fragmented or legacy systems to support more integrated decision making. More than 70 per cent of respondents now use unified or integrated platforms, with 60 per cent citing the need to incorporate new capabilities as their primary driver for migrating away from older technologies.
Just over half list access to new features as a key motivator, pointing to demand for systems that deliver operational insight rather than simply perform basic security functions.
Vendor stability has also emerged as an important factor. Seventy-three per cent of end users say long-term partner viability is a critical factor when evaluating physical security solutions, outweighing product performance and cost considerations. This reflects a growing emphasis on multi-year transformation plans and the need to ensure systems can evolve with organisational requirements.
AI adoption is accelerating, with the technology ranking for the first time alongside access control and video surveillance as a top project priority for 2026. Interest has more than doubled since last year, driven by the promise of tools that can triage alarms, support investigations, and streamline operations in complex environments.
However, the report notes that 70 per cent of respondents remain concerned about how AI systems are designed, particularly around data governance and transparency.
Cloud deployment models are also gaining traction. Automatic updates, ease of deployment, and reduced maintenance overhead are all seen as key benefits. Organisations anticipate further cloud adoption in 2026, but most favour hybrid architectures that let them choose which workloads stay on premises while moving others to the cloud.
Collectively, the findings point to a sector redefining its role within the enterprise, with physical security increasingly expected to deliver actionable intelligence, operational efficiency, and long-term strategic value.
You can read the full report here.
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.
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