The Fast Pace of AI Innovation
From Vision Language Models to Agentic AI, discover how the next generation of multimodal systems is transforming threat detection and response.
By David AntarMar 06, 2026
The pace of innovation in AI-enabled security technology is accelerating faster than the speed of light. Where major breakthroughs in artificial intelligence once occurred every few years, they are now arriving every quarter — and in some cases, even faster.
This rapid evolution presents both an opportunity and a challenge for security professionals to navigate the future of AI and security. On one hand, AI is unlocking powerful new capabilities in threat detection, situational awareness and automated response.
The Volume of New Technologies
However, the sheer volume of new technologies can make it increasingly difficult for organizations to understand what is real, what is hype, and where to invest.
No matter what industry you work in, individuals face a plethora of threats as soon as they step outside their front door, as security threats have become part of our normal everyday existence. With different threats facing each industry, one common denominator is detecting the threat before it becomes an actual incident.
Over the last few decades, the security industry has seen significant growth when it comes to video security and predictive analysis. From the first IP camera launched in 1996 by Axis, which, ironically, we were the first U.S. dealer, to the current levels of rapidly evolving AI-enabled video analytics, it has been a firestorm of innovation.
With the next generation of AI and behavioral analytics, we are watching the start of a new evolution, helping organizations make better predictions on the likelihood of future events taking place.
With most organizations dealing with budget constraints and resource challenges, AI, properly deployed, is helping them do more with less, as AI has become the eyes and ears for organizations rather than a physical person. With minimal human intervention, AI can help detect a threat by using data analysis to help organizations make intelligent decisions.
Emerging AI Technologies
Although researchers have worked on AI for decades, it burst into public consciousness with the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022. Within two months, it reached 100 million users — faster than Instagram or TikTok. Today, more than one-third of U.S. adults use generative AI tools, and adoption is even higher among younger professionals.
In the security industry, the next wave of innovation is being driven by two closely related technologies: Vision Language Models (VLMs) and Agentic AI.
Multimodal AI Systems
Vision Language Models are a new class of multimodal AI systems capable of processing video, images and text simultaneously. The term multimodal refers to the ability to process more than one “mode” of input and output (e.g., video and text). Unlike traditional video analytics, which can only identify objects such as a person, vehicle or weapon, VLMs can interpret a scene and describe it in natural language.
This article originally appeared in the March/April 2026 issue of Security Today.