Horizon Spring 2026
Pioneering a MORE SeCURE tomorrow
Safer communities are shaped long before trouble becomes visible. A subtle pattern, an emerging risk, a question no one was asking last year — each can reveal where the world is headed next. That is why we introduced Horizon magazine: a modern guide to the ideas shaping the future of security. In its pages, you will find thoughtful reporting, expert points of view, and forward-looking analysis that help you see change sooner and respond with confidence. While you’ll find articles by our team, this publication isn’t about us. It’s about how we, as an industry and community, are coming together to build a safer world. Our collective commitment extends beyond the present as we strive to be part of the positive change that will impact future generations, envisioning a brighter, more secure world for years to come.
We see real progress ahead, and we’re glad you’re here with us to explore what’s on the Horizon.
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Future Ideas
Welcome to Horizon
Welcome to Horizon, your source for insights and analysis on the evolving landscape of the security market. In an era where change is the only constant, understanding the forces shaping our industry is essential. At Netwatch, we dedicate ourselves to illuminating the trends, technologies, and tactics that are redefining security as we know it and we share them here on these pages.
Our mission is twofold: to educate and to inform. Through in-depth articles, expert commentary, and forward-looking analysis, we aim to keep you at the forefront of the industry’s shift towards more proactive solutions. We explore the integration of artificial intelligence, the expanding role of cloud computing, and other emerging technologies that are setting new standards for efficiency, effectiveness, and strategic insight in security practices.
Horizon is a platform for learning, discussion, and discovery. Whether you’re a seasoned professional seeking to stay ahead of the curve or new to the field and eager to understand the foundational shifts underway, our goal is to provide you with the knowledge and perspectives necessary to navigate the future of security.
Join us as we embark on this journey together, exploring new horizons in security technology and strategy. Welcome to Horizon — where the future of security is right ahead of us.
Netwatch Team
I think of video analytics and AI as separate. A lot of people like to think of it as the same thing, but in reality, they converge. The analytics part of detection often uses AI to identify risks, but the AI is married to the analytics. That innovation is proving to have almost endless potential for what people can do with their video.
Into The Storm
It feels like we’re standing in the middle of a perfect storm — not of crisis, but of acceleration.
Artificial intelligence is advancing rapidly. Automation is scaling across nearly every industry. Infrastructure is expanding at a pace that was unrealistic just a few years ago. Everywhere you look, technology is moving faster — smarter platforms, more connected systems, increasingly autonomous decision-making.
The momentum isn’t subtle.
Gartner expects global IT spending to surpass $6 trillion in 2026, with growth across every major category — from data centers and software to devices, communications, and IT services. Even amid ongoing debate about a potential AI bubble, investment in AI infrastructure continues to climb.
The numbers don’t lie. Organizations aren’t pausing. They’re building.
Market Impacts
1
Growth of AI
The video surveillance market is entering a major AI-driven growth phase, with global demand shifting away from legacy security systems toward intelligent monitoring solutions.
2
Integrated Intelligence
The market is moving from camera-based surveillance to integrated intelligence platforms, where AI, device recognition, analytics, and automation work together to improve visibility, detection, and response.
3
The Results of AI
As conversational AI and workflow automation become embedded in monitoring operations, security providers can improve response times, scale more efficiently, and strengthen margins while delivering higher-value outcomes to customers.
4
Safer Cities
Safe city initiatives are evolving toward real-time, AI-enabled protection that combines intelligent video monitoring with trained human intervention. By detecting threats faster and enabling immediate response, Netwatch helps cities strengthen community safety, reduce risk, and deliver scalable protection without compromising service quality.
5
Intelligent Access Control
Access control is shifting from standalone entry management to unified physical and digital identity platforms, giving organizations stronger visibility, better compliance, and more consistent protection across people, spaces, and systems.
6
A Proactive Approach
As cameras become intelligent IoT devices and access control systems manage digital and physical identities, organizations can move from passive monitoring to proactive protection, operational insight, and automated compliance.
Engineering the Future
The security industry is evolving rapidly. As electronic security systems become more intelligent, more integrated, and increasingly influenced by AI-driven video monitoring and automation, the true differentiator is no longer just the technology deployed. It is the talent behind it.
At Netwatch, we view apprenticeships as a recruitment initiative and a long-term strategic investment in the future of our business. We pride ourselves on being active drivers of innovation within the global security landscape. Yet innovation is not confined to platforms or software. It also lives in how we cultivate people. Creating structured pathways for ambitious professionals is one of the most sustainable ways to future-proof both an organization and an industry navigating rapid technological change.
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Power Under Watch
Europe has made a bold promise to itself. Through the European Green Deal, leaders have committed to making the continent climate neutral by 2050. Ireland has taken that promise to heart, pledging to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 51 percent before the decade ends. And solar energy stands at the center of that effort.
Drive through rural Ireland today and you will see the change taking shape — solar farms stretch across former grazing land and open fields. They operate quietly and efficiently, sending clean electricity into homes, hospitals, schools, and businesses. Most of the time, no one stands on site. No workers patrol the perimeter. No lights shine from an office window at night.
That stillness, however, hides a growing risk. Each solar site holds millions of euros worth of equipment.
Each megawatt of solar power depends on a dense network of copper cabling, photovoltaic panels, inverters, and electrical systems. Those components hold real value, especially when global copper prices climb.
Share Your Insights
Interested in contributing to the next issue of Horizon? Contact us to learn more about the opportunities available.
If You Build It, They Will Come
Every city reaches a moment when it has to decide what its next chapter will look like. For Santa Monica — the coastal city just west of downtown Los Angeles — that moment arrived quietly. Known for its sweeping beach framed by Palisades Park, its iconic pier with Pacific Park’s Ferris wheel, the historic Looff Hippodrome Carousel, the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, and even the legendary Muscle Beach outdoor gym, the city has long balanced natural beauty with cultural energy. In the city center, Bergamot Station’s galleries underscore its creative heartbeat.
But even in a place defined by stunning ocean views and artistic vibrancy, the past few years brought a pause.
Libraries reduced their hours. Cultural facilities went quiet. Parks felt less alive. The steady rhythm of residents and visitors moving through public spaces was disrupted.
When COVID hit, it brought daily life to a near standstill — and even after shutdowns and curfews were lifted, the effects lingered. The question wasn’t whether Santa Monica would recover. It was how.
For Jenny Rogers, Director of Recreation Arts, and Erica Cuyugan, Director of Library Services, the path forward started with something simple but essential: if Santa Monica wanted to feel vibrant again — for residents, artists, and visitors alike — it had to bring life back into the city.
Unlocking the Future
Access control is undergoing a fundamental transformation, evolving into a more intelligent, connected, and responsive system that reflects the growing complexity of today’s security landscape. As organizations navigate rising threats, hybrid work environments, and increasing operational demands, the technologies that govern how people and data move through spaces are being redefined.
One of the most notable shifts is the convergence of physical and logical access. Long treated as separate domains, these systems are now being unified to address vulnerabilities created by fragmented security approaches. Organizations are moving away from legacy technologies such as proximity cards in favor of integrated solutions that combine high-frequency smart credentials, mobile access, and digital identity. By centralizing access management and leveraging built-in authentication features on personal devices, companies are gaining real-time visibility, strengthening compliance, and creating a more cohesive security strategy.
From Exploration to Expectation
Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant concept in the security industry. It is now becoming embedded into everyday operations, reshaping how organizations think about risk, response, and even collaboration. What’s striking in the latest ASIS research is not just that AI is being adopted, but how uneven—and yet inevitable—its evolution appears.
Across the industry, AI adoption has quietly crossed a tipping point. More than half of security professionals (57 percent) report that their organizations are already using AI in some capacity. This alone signals a shift: AI is no longer experimental—it’s operational. Yet the way it’s being used reveals a story of early-stage maturity rather than full transformation.
Today’s applications lean practical and accessible. Large language models are being used to craft messaging and reports, while AI-enhanced surveillance helps identify objects, track motion, and flag anomalies. Biometric technologies, particularly facial recognition, are also gaining traction. These aren’t futuristic use cases—they’re incremental upgrades that improve efficiency, automate routine tasks, and reduce the burden on human teams.
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