Ettiene van der Watt, Regional Director, Middle East & Africa at Axis Communications discusses technology trends affecting the security sector in 2022.
The beginning month of any year is characterised by many articles listing the technology trends that will shape industry sectors in the next one. But over the years, one can see a pattern develop, a roadmap that reveals the sentiments, and technologies we should be prioritising.
In this case, the keyword is ‘trust’, which is an interesting one. The 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer shows that among online survey respondents in 28 countries, trust in the technology sector is declining globally, along with concerns of climate change, job losses, and cyberattacks. Worries that are all valid to the global security and surveillance sector.
In the pursuit of realising a smarter, safer, and more sustainable world built on the back of a trustworthy and reliable ecosystem of innovation, these are the technologies and insights that will continue to transform security in 2022 and beyond.
A post-pandemic world
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be felt in multiple ways. We see its physical manifestation in the challenges to supply chains, with global manufacturing brought to a near standstill and companies having to re-evaluate where and how they source key components and equipment for their respective products and services. We also see it in deployed technology – how intelligent solutions in video and monitoring are used to enforce social distancing and implement public health strategies.
A global shortage of semiconductors has also seen companies explore in-house manufacturing and the potential of system on a chip (SoC) for relevant sectors. While this may be a very specific trend, combined with the substantial shifts caused by the pandemic, more businesses will consider SoCs for their security solutions going forward.
Embracing a sustainable future
Sustainability is no longer just a trend, nor should it be deemed as such. With a global focus and push towards environmentally friendly principles and practices, exemplified by initiatives such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals towards industry, human settlements, and consumption and production, a business must exhibit sustainability in its offerings and examine new possibilities through a sustainable lens.
Companies must pay closer attention to their processes from end to end. They need to scrutinise their products and services in terms of sustainability factors, such as power efficiency, building materials, and ethical deployments. These discussions are already taking place at events like Expo 2020, where the conversations have taken on a more forward-thinking position, and real progress is being made for long-term impact. More conversations like this need to be had, and it’s up to companies to facilitate them.
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