Industry Embraces Mobile Access, Biometrics and AI

As the world moves toward seamless, secure and sustainable entry solutions, mobile access has combined with biometrics and AI to transform the future of security

• By Sanjit Bardhan
• Jul 11, 2025

A combination of evolving workplace dynamics, technology innovation and new user expectations is changing how people enter and interact with physical spaces. Access control is at the heart of these changes. Combined with biometrics and AI, mobile access control has become increasingly crucial for deploying entry solutions that are seamless, secure and adaptive to user needs.

In applications ranging from commercial real estate to higher education, these technologies are integral to how organizations approach security today.

Looking at the Numbers
More than 60% of security professionals highlight mobile access as a top priority, according to the HID 2025 State of Security and Identity Report that summarizes feedback from more than 1,800 survey participants (users, installers, integrators and original equipment manufacturers) worldwide.

The report also revealed growing demand for biometrics, with approximately 35% of those surveyed saying they are currently using this technology and 13% saying they plan to. The majority (73%) report biometrics as part of their multi-factor authentication (MFA) strategy aimed at ensuring a multi-level approach to identity management for access to digital assets and critical areas of facilities.

As for AI, the report shows that 64% of security leaders are using or planning to implement AI-powered solutions, citing benefits such as improved threat detection, operational efficiency and scalability. Among their use cases, AI agents enable real-time anomaly detection, they automate routine tasks, and they facilitate seamless integration and scalability as security needs evolve.

Another theme of the HID report was growing demand for seamlessly integrating access control with smart building technologies while improving scalability and delivering favorable business outcomes for the organizations. Organizations want easier ways to use physical access control data in their facilities for applications like flexible workspace management and building usage monitoring. More important, they want their buildings to provide occupants with the same easy access to their places and services that they experience elsewhere in their lives.

Fulfilling these and other objectives will increasingly require more unified security management in a more integrated technology landscape spanning mobile credentials, biometrics and more. It all starts with mobile access.

Mobile Access Provides a Foundation
Mobile credentials offer a convenient, secure way to access spaces—right from the smartphones people already use every day. This eliminates the need for physical cards or fobs and creates a streamlined experience across multiple use cases.

These credentials also meet the expectations of employees and tenants who want seamless access experiences like what they can do with their phones for payments, travel, and communication. They want to unlock doors and authenticate identity with the same familiar tap.

Mobile access not only meets these expectations but also aligns with broader organizational goals, such as digital transformation and environmental responsibility. For instance, while plastic keycards can be lost, cloned, or stolen, mobile credentials offer enhanced security features such as biometric authentication, encrypted storage, and remote credential management.

Furthermore, plastic cards tend to get lost/misplaced/destroyed more often than an individual’s mobile device. This is primarily because of the amount of data, applications and personal information that such devices carry. Mobile devices, particularly when integrated with cloud-based platforms, also allow administrators to issue, revoke, or instantly update credentials — reducing vulnerabilities associated with lost or outdated cards. Additionally, real-time reporting and provisioning provide administrators with instant insights into access activities, enhancing security and compliance.

Sustainability is a growing priority, and mobile access supports that goal by helping reduce waste, and there is empirical data supporting such statistics. By eliminating the need for plastic cards and logistics, businesses reduce their environmental footprint. Certifications like LEED, WiredScore, and GreenCircle further validate mobile access as an eco-friendlier/alternative to traditional access control systems.

Mobile access also improves operational efficiency through centralized identity management. It enables security teams and HR departments to simplify onboarding and access provisioning. Organizations with multiple locations can manage credentials remotely, eliminating the need to distribute physical cards.

Beyond access, smart integrations with facility management systems can help optimize building efficiency, such as adjusting lighting or climate control based on occupancy. Real-time reporting capabilities allow organizations to monitor access trends, analyze occupancy data, and make informed security decisions.

All these benefits of mobile access, and more, have become even more impactful with the rise of corporate apps and mobile wallets integrated with physical access control systems (PACS). This advancement makes it easier to realize the benefits of physical and digital security convergence, which now extends to emerging access methods including biometrics, and the use of AI for surveillance and facial recognition.

Benefits of Biometrics and AI
Diversification of credentialing and the adoption of more innovative solutions are leading security teams to demand more options for identity and access control beyond passwords, cards or mobile credentials. One of the emerging trends is around biometric technologies, or the use of automated technologies for authenticating and verifying human body characteristics, such as fingerprints, facial recognition or eye retinas/irises.

By automating identity verification, biometrics reduce the risks associated with traditional login or access credentials while enhancing convenience for users. As this technology continues to evolve and use cases continue to grow, biometric solutions are poised to play a significant role in shaping the future of identity and access management.

AI has a key role to play here. An example in the healthcare industry is the integration of AI-driven surveillance and facial recognition technology, which enables hospitals to track and manage individuals entering and moving within the facility. These systems can flag unauthorized individuals, monitor unusual behavior, and assist security staff in responding to potential breaches in real time. Key AI benefits that were revealed in HID’s “Securing the Future of Healthcare” report include improved efficiency and speed (according to 50% of respondents), real-time data analysis (47%), reduced human error (45%) and proactive threat identification (37%).

Better Building Experiences 
The transition to mobile credentials represents more than just a security upgrade—it is a gateway to biometrics and AI, and a significant step toward a smarter, more sustainable, and efficient future. It is also a gateway to multiple unique use-cases that plastic credentials may not be able to fulfill. Mobile credentials take a significant leap toward delivering dramatically better building experiences— benefiting from tight integration between mobile access solutions and a building’s physical and digital amenities, from cafeteria services to parking garages, elevators and a variety of digital assets and applications. 

Achieving this requires the right balance between a building’s security and its user experience. This balance is achieved through the integration of modern hardware and digital overlays like mobile access, allowing for seamless access to amenities with a single credential across multiple buildings. Security can be dynamically adjusted, such as introducing stricter protocols after hours, or the ability to remotely revoke a credential from a device in seconds.

Conversely, building security can be at odds with the user’s experience when outdated systems create silos, making it difficult for hardware and digital solutions to work together. This lack of interoperability can hinder both security and the user experience, leading to inefficiencies and frustration. Making everything work together requires scalable and interoperable access solutions.

Mobile apps and/or mobile wallets integrated with PACS solutions have been an effective first step toward this goal. Now, the industry is beginning its next step, with a shift toward open and software-driven security platforms that unify management while supporting the growing range of integrated technologies that increasingly define a world-class building experience.

A flexible, scalable approach is crucial for supporting evolving technology and design needs, ensuring both security and user satisfaction are maintained as the building adapts over time.

Mobile credentials are a future-ready and essential component of modern security frameworks.

Organizations that embrace mobile credentials now will have a foundation for adding biometrics and AI while making the transition to unified security management. They will be better positioned to adapt to evolving security needs, digital transformation, and user expectations.

This article originally appeared in the July / August 2025 issue of Security Today.