Breaking down the top five security trends at ISC West 2025

Taking place March 31st to April 4th, 2025, at the Venetian Expo in Las Vegas, ISC West stands as the premier comprehensive security trade event in the United States. This annual gathering brings together thousands of security and safety professionals to connect and explore the latest technologies, innovations, and solutions shaping the industry.

In this blog, Scott Foley, Bryan Montany, and Amir Boubaker highlight the top five trends to watch at the show.

1. AI-powered analytics

a. Expect a continued surge in AI-driven solutions as the infrastructure and models mature, customer interest and acceptance continue to grow, and vendor investments increase. AI solution providers are consistently innovating and highlighting distinct differentiators and use cases over traditional analytics offerings.

b. Security solutions generate massive amounts of data, and as AI continues to enter the market at all levels, it’s increasing the value of that data. As a result, the industry may be experiencing shifts in the perceived value between hardware and software, driving infrastructure and component upgrades and increasing demand for more advanced sensors.

c. Access control and AI. Compared with video surveillance, the initial use cases for AI in access control software remain limited. Early implementations typically focus on natural language query searches and generative AI-enabled helpdesks. These solutions help ensure that datasets, charts, maps, and information can be generated, tailored, and effectively presented to individual end users. The emphasis is on leveraging AI to improve user experience—not automating critical decisions. Omdia anticipates AI will be a prominent buzzword at ISC West, and software providers that invest in more sophisticated and customizable generative AI models will enjoy a significant competitive advantage.

2. Sensors across the intrusion detection market are finally getting some attention

a. For many years, both wired and wireless intrusion detection sensors have stagnated in terms of innovation and product evolution. Many of the standard sensors on the market today still resemble the same architecture of a decade ago. However, in recent years, momentum has been building behind new and exciting advancements in this space.

b. This trend is gaining traction with the introduction of new sensing technologies such as millimeter wave, offering much higher detection accuracy and helping to reduce false alarm rates. Additionally, there are new sensor configurations—such as multi-sensors with up to five different sensing types. The growing integration between video and intrusion detection is also prompting many manufacturers to explore integrated camera sensors, expanding on the passive infrared technologies commonly used today.

c. These new product types have numerous applications across the intrusion and outdoor security market. Intrusion sensors with video capabilities are increasingly being used as proactive security tools, extending protection beyond the perimeter.

3. Mobile access solutions

a. Omdia anticipates that access control vendors will showcase new mobile access applications and platforms at ISC West. These mobile solutions reflect the industry’s ongoing pivot to mobile credentials. Over the past several years, mobile credentials in access control systems have evolved to the point where they are beginning to displace physical credentialing alternatives in many new projects—especially within the education, finance, and hospitality sectors.

b. Mobile credentials were the fastest-growing access control equipment type by a wide margin in 2024. Omdia estimates that revenue from mobile credential sales will grow at over a 30% CAGR and surpass $200 million globally by 2028.

4. Broadening stakeholders for access control data

a. Credential data from access control systems can now provide accurate, real-time occupancy insights for rooms and zones within buildings. As a result, access control software providers are shifting their focus beyond traditional physical security stakeholders. Increasingly, facility managers, HR representatives, IT professionals, and corporate officers are engaging with access control data.

b. According to Omdia, access control is the most common security domain integrated with other systems via building management system (BMS) platforms, with a global attach rate of over 33%. Access control vendors offering proprietary equipment that doesn’t integrate with these platforms risk falling behind their competitors.

c. Over the past couple of years, new proptech and real estate competitors have disrupted the access control market. Their software offerings are designed to integrate access control systems with other property management functions, including leasing, HR, and tenant acquisition. Omdia expects to see several new proptech product offerings at ISC West this year.

5. Monitoring stations are driving innovation across alarm monitoring

a. Omdia predicts that the biggest challenge across the intruder alarm market remains the high rate of false alarms. In response, monitoring stations are increasing investments in solutions aimed at reducing false alarms, including software automation and AI capabilities.

b. As integration with video cameras continues to expand, video monitoring is expected to become increasingly common in the coming years.

c. In this market, AI is typically used to enhance capabilities like object detection and classification. When combined with contextual data, such as the time of day, these tools can significantly improve the accuracy of threat assessments.

d. Trend analysis of metadata allows monitoring centers to identify end-user patterns. For example, if a resident typically arrives home from work within a specific time frame, that data can be incorporated into analysis to fine-tune alarm responses.

e. Monitoring stations are also beginning to ask end users to provide photographs of residents to build profiles and train AI systems. Video cameras can be installed with predefined parameters, enabling features such as virtual barriers that activate after certain hours to improve alarm accuracy.

f. Monitoring service providers are continuously feeding AI software footage to train systems in distinguishing between actual and false alarms. These are just a few of the capabilities monitoring providers are looking to leverage through AI.

At ISC West, don’t miss the opportunity to explore these trends across video surveillance, access control, and intruder alarms. Understanding what’s next in the physical security space is more than just keeping pace with technology, it’s about making informed business decisions that drive growth and create competitive advantage. Companies that stay ahead of these trends are better positioned to meet evolving customer demands, enhance operational efficiency, and unlock new revenue streams. For more information and a full list of the trends Omdia is monitoring this year, connect with our analysts, and explore the full suite of Omdia Physical Security research below.  

Video Surveillance and Analytics

Access Control

Intruder Alarms and Monitoring Services

Physical Security Equipment Report