By: Jorge Olivieri, Bacalao Consulting
Headlines say 2026 is all about AI, platforms, and everything-as-a-service. Every vendor is “smart” and every camera is “intelligent.” On real job sites, however, a different reality is emerging: hardware keeps getting cheaper and “smarter,” while risk, complexity, and customer expectations continue to rise.
There is a growing gap between what marketing promises and what actually works at the door, on the ceiling, and in the control room. That gap is where dealers and integrators still hold the real advantage.
Three major trends define this shift: Big Tech pushing deeper into physical security, AI and AI agents reshaping operations, and the growing trades and skills gap turning labor into the true differentiator.
Big Tech (Especially Apple) Crashes Into Physical Security
“When your biggest competitor is also your customer’s phone.”
Apple and other major platforms are no longer on the sidelines. They are embedded in customers’ pockets and entryways. Phones and watches act as keys, while doorbells and locks tie directly into familiar app ecosystems. For customers, security has blurred into smart home convenience. They expect the same experience they get from their iPhone: clean, fast, easy to use, with quick setup and simple onboarding as the baseline.
This does not mean Big Tech will replace integrators. While Apple excels at awareness and user experience, it does not show up on site with ladders, test equipment, and commissioning checklists. Mission-critical systems still require proper design, power planning, network configuration, monitoring, and documentation when something fails.
The opportunity is not to oppose Big Tech, but to guide customers through it. Integrators can help distinguish what belongs in the DIY category versus what demands professional engineering, integrate consumer devices where they make sense, and clearly explain where they do not. Meanwhile, Big Tech is normalizing subscription models, making it easier to position monitoring, managed services, and “as-a-service” offerings. Big Tech builds awareness; integrators build long-term revenue.
AI And AI Agents Move Into Day-To-Day Operations
“Everyone is cooking with AI sauce. Not everyone gets the recipe right.”
AI is no longer confined to monitoring centers. It is becoming embedded in the daily tools used by technicians, sales teams, and operations staff. From quoting platforms to scheduling and ticket management, AI is quietly reshaping how integrators work.
Most companies will fall into three categories. Some will ignore AI entirely and continue operating manually. They will still complete jobs, but quoting will take longer, documentation will remain inconsistent, and new hires will struggle to ramp up. Others will go too far, handing critical decisions to AI systems that design solutions and generate proposals with little human oversight. While this may speed processes, mistakes at this level can damage customer trust or even jeopardize the business.
The third group will treat AI as a capable assistant, not an autopilot. AI generates drafts and insights, while humans make the final decisions. A knowledgeable salesperson still shapes the offer. A field-experienced technician still validates the design on site.
The core opportunity lies in having human expertise review and refine what AI produces before it ever reaches the customer.
The Trades And Skills Gap Becomes The Strategic Advantage
In 2026, the most valuable asset on site is not the device—it is the person installing it.
Customers can order cameras and sensors in minutes, and marketing promotes “plug-and-play” simplicity. But on live sites, that promise quickly fades. Hardware must operate within complex Wi-Fi architectures, firewall rules, and security policies. Cloud and hybrid systems require clearly defined ownership for updates, access rights, and integrations.
This exposes the growing labor bottleneck. There are too few professionals who can run cable, terminate connections properly, and mount equipment to code while also speaking the language of IT—VLANs, cybersecurity protocols, and remote access. Fewer still can design systems intelligently rather than simply installing hardware where it fits.
This combination of trade expertise and network literacy has become a competitive moat. The technician who can consult with facilities in the morning and coordinate with IT in the afternoon is more valuable than any individual product on the bill of materials.
Training, therefore, cannot be an afterthought. It must be embedded in the business strategy—whether through focusing on fewer core platforms, developing internal technical academies, or requiring networking and cybersecurity fundamentals for every field technician. Most importantly, integrators must communicate this expertise clearly to customers.
The Advantage Of Those Who Can Execute
Big Tech will continue to release devices and tighten ecosystems. AI will keep evolving, and today’s “perfect solution” will require constant refinement. Those forces are beyond your control.
What you can control is execution. You can treat platforms as tools rather than threats, deploy AI in ways that strengthen operations instead of replacing judgment, and invest in your installers, designers, and operators as the true product you deliver.
Because that is what you are really selling.
The future will not automatically belong to the biggest brand or the smartest camera. It will belong to the teams that can make technology work—day after day, at the door, on the ceiling, and in the control room.
Jorge Olivieri is a bilingual strategic sales leader with over 20 years of experience driving revenue growth for physical security and SaaS innovators. After a decade as an entrepreneur and leadership roles at Alarm.com, he now applies his market insight and hands-on technical expertise to build long-term client success across Latin America and the United States.
Internal Links URLs
https://www.security.world/physical-security-trends
External Links URLs
https://www.alarm.com
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the most important physical security trends for 2026?
The three dominant trends are Big Tech entering physical security, AI and AI agents becoming embedded in daily operations, and the widening skills gap making skilled labor the most valuable differentiator.
Will Big Tech replace security integrators?
No. While companies like Apple enhance user experience and awareness, they do not provide on-site design, installation, commissioning, and long-term system management that mission-critical environments require.
How should integrators use AI effectively?
AI should be used as an assistant, not an autopilot. It can speed quoting, documentation, and scheduling, but final decisions must remain with experienced sales professionals and technicians.
Why is skilled labor becoming more important than hardware?
Modern systems must integrate with complex IT environments, cybersecurity policies, and cloud infrastructures. Technicians who combine trade expertise with networking and security knowledge deliver far more value than the devices themselves.
What should integrators focus on to stay competitive in 2026?
Execution, training, and human expertise. Investing in people, adopting AI responsibly, and positioning platforms as tools rather than threats will define long-term success.
Source: alarm.com
https://security.world/three-security-trends-for-2026-why-integrators-still-have-the-upper-hand/