2-4 Sep 2026 | ICC, Sydney
From Security to Insight: The Next Chapter of IP Cameras
A Showcase of Innovation and Global Brands
IP cameras have been part of the enterprise for decades. But the device installed on your ceiling today bears little resemblance to what it was even five years ago. What if it could flag a threat before it became an incident, not after? What if it could map how visitors move through your space, and turn that into smarter staffing decisions? What if the same camera network protecting your organisation was also generating business intelligence to help run it better? For a growing number of organisations, these are not hypothetical questions. They are the outcomes of intelligent IP cameras that have moved well beyond recording footage, and the distance between those organisations and the ones still running passive systems is growing.
Most organisations still think of their camera networks as a safety net. The ones pulling ahead are treating them as intelligent edge platforms. So how far has this transformation actually gone, and what is driving it? Axis surveyed end customers, system integrators, and architects and engineers across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC to find out. The findings, published in the Axis Perspectives 2026 report: The Intelligent Edge, point to five shifts already reshaping the industry.
Cameras have stopped waiting for something to go wrong
The traditional model was straightforward: cameras recorded, footage was stored, and video was reviewed after something went wrong. That model is being replaced. IP cameras can now automatically detect behaviours like loitering, perimeter breaches, and large gatherings, triggering immediate alerts and automated workflows. Integrated with security platforms, intelligent cameras deliver prioritised, context-rich alerts that reduce false positives and speed response. This reflects a broader shift: 82% of organisations are using or planning to use real-time data processing, and over 75% are applying AI and machine learning to automate decisions and accelerate responsiveness. Security has shifted from documenting what happened to preventing what could.
A Showcase of Innovation and Global Brands
IP cameras have been part of the enterprise for decades. But the device installed on your ceiling today bears little resemblance to what it was even five years ago. What if it could flag a threat before it became an incident, not after? What if it could map how visitors move through your space, and turn that into smarter staffing decisions? What if the same camera network protecting your organisation was also generating business intelligence to help run it better? For a growing number of organisations, these are not hypothetical questions. They are the outcomes of intelligent IP cameras that have moved well beyond recording footage, and the distance between those organisations and the ones still running passive systems is growing.
Most organisations still think of their camera networks as a safety net. The ones pulling ahead are treating them as intelligent edge platforms. So how far has this transformation actually gone, and what is driving it? Axis surveyed end customers, system integrators, and architects and engineers across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC to find out. The findings, published in the Axis Perspectives 2026 report: The Intelligent Edge, point to five shifts already reshaping the industry.
Cameras have stopped waiting for something to go wrong
The traditional model was straightforward: cameras recorded, footage was stored, and video was reviewed after something went wrong. That model is being replaced. IP cameras can now automatically detect behaviours like loitering, perimeter breaches, and large gatherings, triggering immediate alerts and automated workflows. Integrated with security platforms, intelligent cameras deliver prioritised, context-rich alerts that reduce false positives and speed response. This reflects a broader shift: 82% of organisations are using or planning to use real-time data processing, and over 75% are applying AI and machine learning to automate decisions and accelerate responsiveness. Security has shifted from documenting what happened to preventing what could.
The same camera that protects can also generate insights
Today’s IP cameras are generating actionable business insights well beyond their original security function. Cameras track foot traffic patterns, dwell time, and visitor flow. Retailers use this data to optimise store layouts and staffing. Transit operators use it to manage passenger congestion. Facility managers use it to reduce underutilised space. This is not a secondary benefit; it is becoming a primary driver of investment. Between 2024 and 2025, the share of organisations using video for business intelligence jumped from 20% to 38%. Operational efficiency adoption climbed from 38% to 42%. Organisations are extracting more value from the intelligent edge platforms they already own.
Intelligent security now sees, hears, and senses beyond the lens
Intelligent security is also moving beyond the visual. Audio analytics detect raised voices, breaking glass, gunshots, and machinery anomalies, adding contextual layers that cameras alone cannot provide. Thermal imaging delivers visibility where standard cameras fail, including in low light, smoke, and extreme weather, supporting applications from perimeter surveillance to fire prevention. Radar delivers range, speed, and motion data, enhancing detection where video alone may underperform. Combined, these modalities synthesise visual, acoustic, thermal, and spatial data into a far more complete operational picture.
Cybersecurity is now a frontline concern
As camera networks become more connected and data-rich, they also become a more attractive target. Cybercrime is now the world’s fastest-growing criminal threat, with annual global losses currently estimated at US$9.22 trillion. It is no surprise that cybersecurity now ranks as the second highest concern among end customers, architects and engineers, and system integrators alike. 44% identifying improving cybersecurity and data protection as a top priority over the next one to three years to drive success. For organisations integrating physical security with IT and OT systems, the attack surface is expanding. Safeguards like end-to-end encryption, signed video, secure boot, and zero trust architecture are no longer optional features. They are foundational requirements for any intelligent camera deployment built to last.
Connected but siloed is no longer good enough
The value of intelligent cameras is significantly diminished when they operate in isolation. Across Axis research, 41% of end customers identified integrating different security systems into a single unified platform as a top priority for the next one to three years. The demand is clear: organisations want video, access control, audio, and enterprise systems to work together, share data seamlessly, and surface insights through a single interface. Open ecosystems and vendor-neutral architectures are making this possible, reducing deployment complexity and eliminating the lock-in that has historically slowed adoption. The future of intelligent security is not a better camera. It is a better-connected system.
Is your organisation ready for what’s next?
Understanding these shifts is one thing. Acting on them is another. For many organisations, the gap between what their current camera network can do and what modern intelligent IP cameras make possible is widening every year. At Axis, our response to that gap is built on three convictions: that IP camera and security solutions should integrate openly across platforms and partners, that breakthrough technologies like edge AI, radar, and advanced analytics should be accessible and actionable, and that the insights generated by intelligent cameras should translate into smarter and safer decisions for the entire organisation. These are not aspirations. They are the foundation of everything we design, build, and bring to market.
Your blueprint for tomorrow starts here
Axis Communications will be at the Security Exhibition and Conference (SEC) 2026 in Sydney from 2 to 4 September at ICC Sydney. We will be showcasing what integrated, intelligent security looks like in practice, and what it means for organisations ready to reimagine what their camera networks can do.
Running alongside at the same venue is Integrate 2026, Australia’s leading AV technology event. If you want to see how Axis cameras and audio solutions work together to create smarter, more responsive environments, drop by the Axis stand at Integrate too.
Find us at Booth E16 for Security Show, and at Booth HK26 for Integrate Show.
To get ahead of the conversation, download the Axis Perspectives 2026 report: The Intelligent Edge.
