How Long Until AI Takes Your Job?

• By Steve Reinharz
• May 13, 2025

The security industry is facing a transformation unlike any in its history. Indeed, much of the modern world is in this position. From the industrial revolution to the rise of automation, labor-intensive roles have continuously evolved, and security is no exception. AI is now fundamentally altering how security is managed, shifting from human-reliant surveillance and guard services to intelligent, autonomous security solutions.

This shift raises a critical question: How long until AI takes over traditional security jobs?

Short answer: It has already begun. And While AI will undoubtedly replace many roles, the reality is more complex. The security industry is not being eliminated; it is being redefined, again much like many other global industries. Those who embrace this evolution will find new opportunities, while those who resist risk being left behind. As with every revolution there will be winners and losers.

But you are reading this because the headline touched a nerve, and you want to calculate the reality of Your job being at risk – and when. Read on for answers.

The Limitations of Traditional Security
For decades, security has depended on human staffing and reactive surveillance systems. Security officers patrol sites, respond to incidents, and monitor surveillance feeds. However, these legacy models come with significant challenges.

Human attention span limitations. Studies show that after 20 minutes of continuous monitoring, an operator’s ability to detect threats drops by up to 95 percent.

High labor costs. Security staffing requires significant investment in wages, training, and scheduling, making 24/7 coverage expensive.

Reactive rather than proactive. Surveillance systems often serve forensic purposes rather than preventing incidents in real-time.

Inconsistencies in human response. Security staff may experience fatigue, distraction, or gaps in coverage, leading to missed threats.

The flaws of this system are well documented. Former FBI Special Agent and RAD’s chief security officer, Troy McCanna, witnessed these failures firsthand.

“We had a GSOC at the FBI with two people overseeing 300 camera feeds,” McCanna said. “They didn’t even glance at them. Footage was only reviewed after something happened. There was no proactive monitoring because it just was not possible.”

Security companies are now recognizing that human-led monitoring and patrols alone are no longer enough. AI is stepping in to fill these gaps.

The Remote Video Monitoring Revolution
One of the security industry’s largest and most immediate shifts is happening in Remote Video Monitoring (RVM). Traditionally, remote monitoring has relied on human operators watching dozens of live feeds simultaneously, attempting to identify security threats in real time. This model is proving increasingly inefficient for several reasons.

Cognitive overload. Security operators monitoring multiple screens experience fatigue and reduced effectiveness.

Missed events. Many critical incidents go unnoticed because human operators cannot sustain constant vigilance.

Slow response times. When a threat is detected, the manual reporting process delays intervention.

High operational costs – Maintaining 24/7 monitoring teams is expensive and difficult to scale.

AI-powered solutions are disrupting this space by replacing human oversight with intelligent, autonomous monitoring systems. AI-driven monitoring platforms like

RAD’s SARA™ (Speaking Autonomous Responsive Agent) are revolutionizing RVM by analyzing and responding to video feeds in real time, without requiring continuous human intervention.

How AI is Transforming Remote Video Monitoring
Real-time threat detection. AI-powered platforms monitor live feeds with unmatched accuracy, detecting unauthorized access, suspicious movement and anomalies instantly. AI does not experience fatigue or distractions, ensuring consistent, 24/7 surveillance.

Automated response and engagement. Unlike passive camera feeds, AI actively engages with potential threats by issuing audio warnings, flashing deterrent lights, and escalating alerts to security teams. AI-driven monitoring can differentiate between routine activity and real threats, reducing false alarms and unnecessary security dispatches.

Cloud-based scalability. AI-enabled remote monitoring allows video feeds to be processed in the cloud, enabling security operations centers to scale without increasing staffing costs. Security teams can oversee multiple sites efficiently, shifting from direct monitoring to managing AI-generated alerts.

Cost reduction and efficiency gains. AI automates tasks traditionally managed by human operators, significantly reducing operational costs. Organizations transitioning to AI-driven monitoring can reduce reliance on large monitoring teams while improving overall security outcomes.

McCanna emphasizes the impact of this transformation: “The era of relying on people to stare at screens for hours hoping to catch something is over. AI-powered monitoring like SARA sees everything, responds instantly, and ensures security threats do not go unnoticed.”

The SARA AI Agent: Redefining Security Coordination and Response
The introduction of AI-powered security agents has transformed the way incidents are detected, assessed, and addressed in real time. RAD’s SARA (Speaking Autonomous Responsive Agent) represents a fundamental leap forward, replacing outdated, fragmented security processes with an intelligent, fully integrated AI-driven command center that operates faster and more efficiently than human-led monitoring ever could.

A live information transfer hub. SARA acts as a real-time communication bridge, engaging with multiple parties simultaneously to streamline incident response.

Whether coordinating between on-site security, remote monitoring centers, or emergency responders, SARA ensures critical information flows instantly between the right people. By keeping multiple stakeholders informed at once, SARA eliminates delays, prevents miscommunication, and enables the fastest possible response to security events.

Comprehensive situational awareness. Unlike traditional security operators who are limited by attention span and screen count, SARA monitors all available camera feeds at the same time. This continuous, multi-angle oversight ensures no event goes undetected, providing designated security personnel with instant insights on what is happening and where. The result is unmatched awareness, faster decision-making, and proactive rather than reactive security management.

Real-time video sharing on demand. When an incident occurs, security professionals need immediate visual confirmation. SARA eliminates delays by sending live video feeds via text message, giving security teams, law enforcement, or authorized stakeholders instant access to critical footage. Whether assessing a potential intrusion or verifying a situation remotely, SARA puts real-time intelligence directly into the hands of decision-makers.

Autonomous security deployment. Beyond detection and communication, SARA takes action. The AI agent can dispatch instructions to other autonomous security devices such as robotic patrol units and deterrent systems to respond to incidents in real time. Rather than waiting for human intervention, SARA ensures that security assets are deployed immediately, reducing response time and minimizing risk.

This level of intelligent automation fundamentally changes what is possible in security operations. By eliminating human bottlenecks, increasing situational awareness and enabling seamless coordination between monitoring, response teams, and autonomous devices, SARA delivers performance, efficiency, and cost savings that legacy security systems simply cannot match.

AI-powered Security Guard Augmentation
Beyond remote monitoring, AI and robotics are supplementing traditional security staff in other ways.

Autonomous patrol units conduct mobile surveillance, reducing the need for on-site guards.

AI-powered access control verifies identities and manages site entry without human oversight.

Predictive security analytics identify risks before incidents occur, enabling proactive security measures.

“AI-driven security isn’t about eliminating jobs; it’s about elevating them,” said Mark Folmer, CPP, PSP, president of Robotic Assistance Devices. “Security professionals will move from passive monitoring to managing, analyzing, and responding with greater precision.”

Industries Already Making the Shift AI-powered security is no longer theoretical—it is actively replacing outdated models across multiple industries.

Corporate campuses. AI security units provide autonomous patrols, facial recognition access control, and real-time security alerts.

Retail centers. Automated security towers detect loitering, trespassing, and suspicious activity, issuing immediate deterrent responses.

Construction sites. AI-powered mobile security trailers protect expensive equipment and materials from theft and vandalism.

Healthcare and critical infrastructure. AI-driven monitoring solutions safeguard hospitals, data centers, and power plants from intrusions.

These advancements are setting a new standard for security, making traditional models obsolete. Organizations that fail to adapt to AI-driven security solutions will face increased costs, higher risks, and competitive disadvantages.

The Role of Humans in AI-Powered Security
Despite AI’s growing role, security professionals are not being entirely replaced. Instead, their roles are shifting toward oversight, management and high-level decision-making. AI manages repetitive, mundane security tasks, allowing human staff to focus.

Interpreting AI-generated insights. Security officers analyze AI-driven threat assessments and determine appropriate responses. Managing AI security systems. Staff oversee AI-monitored facilities, ensuring compliance and effectiveness. Providing hands-on intervention. While AI monitors and alerts, human officers intervene in high-stakes security incidents.

McCanna sees this shift as inevitable: “Security leaders need to make a choice. Stick with failing systems or move forward with AI-powered monitoring. The ones that choose AI will come out ahead.”

The Security Industry’s Future The integration of AI into security is not a passing trend; it is the future. Security firms and professionals who resist this shift will find themselves unable to compete with AI-enhanced competitors offering better coverage at lower costs.

As AI adoption accelerates, companies should have questions.

Are we prepared to integrate AI into our security operations?

Are we equipping our workforce with the skills to manage AI-driven security systems?

Are we investing in the right technologies to stay ahead of industry changes?

Those who answer “no” risk falling behind in a rapidly evolving industry.

The security industry is at an inflection point. AI is not replacing security; it is redefining it. Remote Video Monitoring is the first sector experiencing widespread AI adoption, and other areas of security are following quickly. Companies that embrace AI-driven solutions will lead the way, while those that ignore this shift will struggle to stay relevant. The question is no longer if AI will take over traditional security roles, but when. And for many, the answer is now.

This article originally appeared in the May / June 2025 issue of Security Today.