Learning From Experience: A Security Professional’s Journey Into AI Tech and Its Impact on the Future of Physical Security

Perhaps the idea of an AI-powered anything is too futuristic a concept. And, despite the news of AI technology taking precedence in our everyday lives, it can be difficult to distinguish what AI is and how it’s working for us right now. When separating fact from science fiction, it’s easy to forget that AI is already here, and it’s in daily use.

For security professionals like yourselves, knowing the inner workings of an AI methodology isn’t part of the deal. Yet, security professionals can leverage AI technology in groundbreaking ways.

There is one thing to keep in mind when thinking about AI: security professionals don’t have to be the visionary behind implementing an AI system. They just have to be prepared to gain from its benefits.

This article first ran in 2020. We have added a 2026 update below showing how AI is now part of everyday security operations.

Reaping the Benefits of AI for Security: A Primer

Learning From Experience

The British genius of the 20th Century Alan Turing (made familiar for 21st century audiences in the film The Imitation Game) said that “what we want is a machine that can learn from experience.” A keyphrase here is “learning from experience.”

Dr. Valerie Morignat, founder and CEO of Intelligent Story, is an expert on the convergence of AI and security operations. For her, the business value of AI will allow security firms to “deliver a more effective security response and smarter human-machine collaboration.” This means harnessing the benefits of AI for more efficient and reliable human-to-technology interactions that can include intelligent access control, advanced video analytics, swarm intelligence, human augmentation, and remote sensing and monitoring. Without glossing over terms such as “human augmentation,” remember that the convergence of AI and physical security may prove just as beneficial as AI has been for cybersecurity, if not more.

Many of the capabilities she described are no longer on the horizon. They are already part of everyday security work, as the 2026 update below shows.

The Face of AI and Physical Security Is Already Here

Most security professionals don’t yet realize that AI technology will be the lifeblood of our smartphones, and a security force equipped with smartphones is already set up to benefit from AI-based enhancements to daily activities and, most importantly, to keep learning from experience.

Using Your Current Digital Assets to Help Your Organization Learn from Experience

How Can Security Professionals Use Mobile Technology to Improve Daily Operations Right Now?

It’s safe to say that almost everyone owns a smartphone, or at least has seen one. One thing is clear: mobile technology is advancing toward AI capabilities and there’s no stopping it. Here’s what your smartphone’s AI capabilities look like right now:

1. Facial recognition technology
2. Phone camera enhancements and recognition (recognizing a human smile)
3. Voice assistants (Apple’s Siri)
4. Running augmented reality games (ever hear of that “Pokemon Go” game?)
5. Internet of Things (IoT) devices and mobile phone connections

Connecting Security Workforce Management Software to Your Mobile Tech

When we think about a security workforce management (SWFM) system, we can easily imagine a digitized version of paper and pencil, with the ability for scalability, real-time information (why does real-time matter?) and precise guard tracking across various locations.

Yet, you’ve heard of a SWFM software improving communications with Push-to-Talk (PTT), managing remote guard tracking, and even automating notifications and reports, all with the use of a smartphone. So what are the advantages to using a SWFM software that can implement AI-like technology? Here are two examples.

1. Access Real-time Data Collection: With data captured on the ground, real-time data instantaneously updates users with critical information as it occurs and organizes it into readable, human-friendly information that can then be further analyzed and processed into graphical data sets, all through automation.
2. View Insights on Guard Activities: Like the capabilities we’re seeing with our smartphones right now, a SWFM software can harness the benefits of AI-like technology by offering users insights into guard activity using GPS and Geolocation information. An intelligent SWFM software will then use the collected information and situate it against a digital representation of the guard’s physical environment for a real time location update.

The convergence of AI and physical security is only starting. The outlook for improved security operations and more efficient processes looks promising, especially since the security industry is already reaping the benefits of AI-like technology.

2026 Update: AI Is Now Part of Daily Security Operations

When this article first ran, AI in physical security was mostly a promise. Today it is part of everyday operations, though adoption is uneven. Trackforce research found that 53% of security companies use AI or automation in their operations, and 55% of those who don’t are actively exploring it.

Capability	The 2020 promise	The reality today with TrackTik
Report writing	Automated notifications and reports	ReportPro AI turns rough field notes into compliance-ready reports and writes summaries in seconds
Threat detection	Advanced video analytics	AI threat detection can trigger TrackTik to dispatch the right guard in seconds
Scheduling	Digitized schedules	AI and machine learning make predictive suggestions during scheduling
Shift coverage	Phone trees after call-outs	AI agents built on TrackTik help recover shift coverage, with a person kept in the loop
Guard insight	GPS and geolocation updates	A live map of every tour scan, GPS position and report, plus BI dashboards

TrackTik ReportPro AI brings AI to incident reporting, TrackTik Command Center connects detection to dispatch, and TrackTik physical security uses AI and machine learning to automate manual work and turn operational data into decisions. For a wider view, see the physical security technologies transforming private security.

Learning From Experience Starts With Good Data

AI learns from the data you give it. Consistent tours, complete incident reports and accurate time records are what make AI useful. TrackTik security operations captures every tour scan, GPS position and report in real time, and TrackTik business intelligence turns it into dashboards your team can act on.

How to Get Your Security Team Ready for AI

1. Digitize field data first. Paper logs can’t teach a system anything.
2. Standardize reports and tours. Consistent data produces reliable insight.
3. Connect your systems. TrackTik works with Scylla AI threat detection and Immix remote guarding, plus an open REST API. See all TrackTik integrations.
4. Know who owns your data. Make sure you can access and export it. Learn who really owns your security data.
5. Start with one use case. AI-assisted reporting or detection-to-dispatch are practical first steps.
6. Keep people in the loop. AI should support officer and supervisor judgment, not replace it.

Ready to put AI to work in your security operations? Book a TrackTik demo to see it in action.