Today, there are over one billion security cameras globally—more than double the number recorded in 2015. With the increasing accessibility of video technology, its applications have expanded far beyond traditional security purposes. Video is now a valuable tool used across various roles and industries.

For instance, school administrators are leveraging video to combat student vaping and enhance campus safety. Manufacturing operations teams use video to streamline production workflows, ensure worker safety, and support Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) initiatives. Retail loss prevention teams reduce shrinkage and improve merchandise placement strategies.

Historically, camera systems served as reactive tools—used to search, analyze, and share footage after incidents occurred. However, advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming cameras into proactive tools, capable of preventing incidents before they happen.

How Open-Source AI Foundation Models Are Transforming Video Surveillance

In the early days, AI models were narrowly focused and required significant effort to build. This process involved collecting and tagging large datasets, training models, and fine-tuning them to achieve specific results.

The advent of open-source AI foundation models has dramatically shifted the landscape. These models possess unique characteristics:

• Powerful: Built using vast datasets from crowdsourcing, web scraping, data sharing, and simulated inputs, these models are freely available to the public.
• Multi modal: They can process and analyze multiple types of data, including text, images, videos, and audio.
• Self-Learning: Advanced models now adapt and improve over time by learning from new data without requiring manual reprogramming.
• Accessible: These tools are available to anyone, fueling a surge of AI innovation worldwide.

AI’s Growing Influence Across Industries

AI technologies are rapidly integrating into our daily lives, reshaping both personal and professional experiences. Tools like ChatGPT and MidJourney demonstrate the extraordinary capabilities of generative AI, such as crafting detailed essays with citations or creating unique works of art within seconds.

Various industries are harnessing AI to achieve new breakthroughs:

• Education: Schools use AI-powered tools to create personalized learning experiences and enhance campus safety.
• Healthcare: AI accelerates drug discovery by simulating molecular interactions.
• Transportation: Companies optimize delivery routes and reduce fuel consumption using AI-driven traffic and weather data.
• Manufacturing: AI significantly enhances EHS programs by improving worker safety, monitoring compliance, and identifying environmental hazards. It also drives operational efficiency, streamlining production workflows and reducing risks.

AI Unlocks New Possibilities for Video Applications

AI is opening up innovative ways to utilize video technology, such as:

• Enhancing campus safety and reducing vaping incidents in schools.
• Supporting EHS programs, optimizing workflows, and ensuring compliance in manufacturing.
• Accelerating loss prevention, improving employee productivity, and refining merchandise tracking in retail.

Foundation models now enable camera systems to analyze business environments contextually, delivering valuable insights without the limitations of outdated systems.

AI not only automates traditional security workflows but also introduces new operational use cases. It helps organizations identify inefficiencies, suggest solutions, and provide actionable analytics to enhance decision-making.

The transformative potential of AI is vast, and while its impact is already significant, we are only at the beginning of this revolutionary journey. AI is poised to redefine every sector of the economy, unlocking opportunities we’ve never imagined before.

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