AI and Video Surveillance: The Surprising Impact on Multi-Site Software Sourcing
Savi
The AI revolution: a new pace of innovation
The world of artificial intelligence is evolving at a dizzying speed. It seems like every week brings a wave of groundbreaking advancements and new AI-powered tools. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the sheer pace of innovation, you're not alone. It's a lot to keep up with, especially for multi-site operators who are already juggling a million other responsibilities. Frankly, staying on the bleeding edge of AI shouldn't be your primary focus. You have a business to run.
The impact on software sourcing decisions
Here’s a surprise: the rapid evolution of AI has a profound impact on how multi-site operators should approach software sourcing, particularly when it comes to video management systems. Traditionally, businesses have sought out solutions with the latest and greatest features (AI included), assuming that these capabilities would provide a long-term competitive advantage.
Many vendors at the forefront of AI, especially in computer vision, are developing highly specialized solutions. These "stovepipe" applications excel at a single task but often lack the flexibility to address other needs. Think of it like this: you might find a vendor with the absolute best AI-powered drive-thru timer for your quick-service restaurant. But that same vendor might not offer a comprehensive video management system or advanced analytics for people counting or dwell time. This forces businesses to cobble together solutions from multiple vendors, creating a fragmented technology landscape and potential integration headaches.
And if you find a different AI technology provider who released a better model a few weeks later, good luck switching - your pipeline from site to AI analysis is gone, your hardware may need to be changed, and you’re learning a brand new interface on both the front and back end.
Building a foundation for AI innovation
The problem with this approach is that it fails to build a solid foundation for harnessing AI innovation. It's like buying a high-performance sports car without having a garage to store it in or a reliable daily driver to get you to the grocery store. You might have the flashiest vehicle on the block, but it won't do you much good if you can’t integrate it effectively into your daily life. Similarly, investing in a cutting-edge AI solution for a single, specific use case might provide some short-term benefits, but it won't position your business to capitalize on the broader potential of AI across your operations.
The solution lies in implementing infrastructure that acts as a bridge between your data (video or otherwise) and the ever-evolving world of AI models. For web apps, this might be AWS - a flexible platform with tools for storing your data, able to be sent to whatever AI model makes the most sense for your needs at the time. With this approach you can leverage the best AI tools for the job, regardless of their origin.
This approach unlocks several key advantages:
Future-proofing: You're not locked into a single vendor's AI capabilities, ensuring you can adapt to new advancements and avoid technological obsolescence.
Flexibility: You can choose the best AI models for specific tasks, leveraging specialized solutions where needed while maintaining a unified data platform.
Scalability: As your AI needs grow, you can easily integrate new models and expand your capabilities without overhauling your entire system.
Data Portability for Video
In the context of video surveillance, this means establishing a middleware layer that functions similarly to how cloud platforms like AWS enable data portability for web applications. Imagine a video management system that seamlessly ingests video data from any on-site hardware, regardless of the camera manufacturer or recording device. This data is then standardized and stored in the cloud, where it can be enriched with other business data, such as POS transactions, alarm events, and IoT sensor readings.
Most importantly, this cloud-based video data becomes a readily accessible resource for any AI model you choose to deploy. Today, you might be using an AI model for detecting slip-and-fall incidents. Tomorrow, you might add a different model that excels at identifying customer traffic patterns or predicting queue lengths. Next week, you might swap them out entirely for a do it all machine vision tool This flexibility allows you to continuously adapt to the latest AI advancements and extract maximum value from your video data.
Be a little bit more AI ‘Savi’
The rapid evolution of AI presents both challenges and opportunities for multi-site operators. By adopting an agnostic approach to AI and investing in foundational infrastructure that enables data portability and integration, businesses can future-proof their operations and harness the full potential of this transformative technology. Don't get caught in the trap of chasing the latest AI fad or relying on specialized solutions that limit your flexibility. Instead, build a solid foundation that allows you to adapt, evolve, and thrive in the ever-changing world of artificial intelligence.
Ready to explore how Savi's cloud-based video management platform can help you navigate the AI landscape and unlock the full potential of your video data? Contact us today to learn more.
