Not Science Fiction—Science Fact: How Agentic AI Revolutionizes Security Grids

Remember those vintage security systems from heist movies? A silent alarm triggers, guards scramble, and criminals vanish long before anyone arrives. The game has changed.

“It was a Friday night, and I started getting these alerts on my phone,” the head of security at Enel Green Energy's hydropower site on the Merrimack River said. When he checked the thermal streams, he spotted figures breaching the fence line. With a few taps on his smartphone, he activated the 5500-lumen spotlight and trespassing alert.

The result? “I saw the figures quickly scurry away. Mission accomplished.”

No dramatic car chase. No security team racing across town. Just agentic AI doing what it does best—detecting, deterring, and defending critical infrastructure without delay.

“Being able to use force multiplication is critical,” said Phil Brophy, Head of Security Services USA and Canada at Enel North America. “So is the ability to deploy things in a timely manner and maintain stability with a partner that's valued in the industry and who you know is going to be there 24/7. That's why LiveView Technologies makes sense.”

This isn’t some far-off future from science fiction—it’s how intelligent security agents are revolutionizing protection today. 

When Your Security System Thinks and Acts for Itself

Modern security threats unfold in milliseconds, far too fast for human reaction times. These agentic AI systems don't just observe—they independently analyze, decide, and act. When a threat emerges, there's no waiting for human approval or committee decisions. The system evaluates risk factors, chooses appropriate responses, and executes security protocols in real-time.

In 2024, utility companies faced a sobering reality: attacks surged 70% compared to the previous year, according to Check Point Research. Traditional security responses—human monitoring, manual alarms, delayed team dispatch—left critical gaps in protection. But in Las Vegas, a different approach emerged.

The city's public transit system made history in June 2024 as the first in the U.S. to deploy AI gun detection across its bus fleet. The system doesn't just watch—it acts, alerting operations centers instantly when it spots a weapon. This shift from passive monitoring to active defense marks a fundamental change in how we approach security.

“The human is still part of this puzzle,” LiveView Technologies CTO/CIO Steve Lindsey emphasized at a recent webinar. “We're not being displaced by AI. We're trying to make humans more efficient.”

“We're seeing a fundamental shift in how security operates,” Leo Simonovich, head of industrial cyber at Siemens Energy, told Latitude Media. “AI can be a good defensive shield—we've been very focused on deploying tools and technologies that help give the defenders the advantage.” 

How AI-Powered Security Transforms Industries with Intelligent Agents

From remote power substations to construction sites, AI-powered security agents are transforming how we protect assets: 

Critical Infrastructure Protection

Remember the 2022 Moore County, North Carolina, substation attack that left 45,000 without power for days? Today’s facilities deploy intelligent agents that detect intruders even in total darkness using thermal imaging. These autonomous systems continuously learn from each alert, automatically adjusting their detection parameters based on confirmed threats versus harmless activities, like wildlife movement.

Construction Site Security

With heavy equipment theft costing up to $1 billion annually, according to the National Equipment Register, construction sites have become prime targets. AI-powered agents act as tireless guards, distinguishing between scheduled crane movements and suspicious night activity. As construction progresses, these agentic systems continuously recalibrate what “normal” looks like, ensuring consistent security through each project phase.

Retail Revolution

The perfect storm of organized retail crime, violent shoplifters, and limited staff has turned stores into high-risk zones. Mobile surveillance units equipped with agentic AI monitor parking lots—retail’s front line of defense—where they can:

• Identify suspicious vehicle patterns and alert security before thieves enter stores
• Issue customized audio warnings referencing specific behaviors or clothing
• Coordinate with in-store systems to track known offenders across locations
• Analyze traffic patterns to optimize security coverage during peak risk periods

“Let's say that someone's lying down,” said Lindsey in the webinar. “Are they lying down next to a tree, which might be a Sunday picnic, or are they lying down next to your car [and] about to steal your catalytic converter?”

This brilliant innovation doesn't just detect actions—it puts them into context. A medical facility could identify if a patient is in trouble while walking the grounds, or a manager could detect an employee who neglected to wear their safety helmet. 

Data-Driven Defense

Upon detecting a threat, these autonomous AI systems assess the situation and deploy increasingly serious security measures. In a live demonstration at ISC West 2025, LVT's agentic AI:

• Activated targeted lighting on suspicious activity
• Issued personalized audio warnings describing specific behaviors
• Escalated responses based on continued threats
• Created instant, searchable evidence packages for law enforcement 

How Agentic AI Rewrites Security Protocols

Traditional security workflows relied heavily on human monitoring and manual responses. A guard spots suspicious activity, calls it in, waits for verification, then responds—precious minutes lost while threats evolve. But agentic AI rewrites these plays. 

Protecting People First

“Front-line employees are being asked to do too much,” Dr. Melanie Lorenz, associate professor at FAU's College of Business wrote as part of a research study. “Policing misbehavior and confronting shoplifters, often without extra money or training.” This growing burden on retail workers has led many companies to prohibit staff from confronting thieves, prioritizing employee safety over loss prevention.

LVT's intelligent agent systems shift this responsibility from workers to technology. The agentic AI monitors, alerts, and even issues warnings automatically, keeping employees safely removed from potentially dangerous confrontations.

Beyond Human Limitations

Physical security demands constant vigilance, but human attention inevitably wavers. LVT's autonomous systems operate as independent security agents, making thousands of complex decisions per second. Each camera functions as an intelligent node that:

• Independently assesses and classifies potential threats
• Makes real-time decisions without human input
• Self-adjusts sensitivity based on environmental conditions
• Automatically coordinates responses with other nodes
• Learns from each interaction to improve future decisions

This distributed intelligence network maintains constant vigilance across vast areas, making crucial distinctions instantly—from suspicious loitering to unauthorized access attempts—even in complete darkness. 

From Alert to Evidence

Birmingham’s Housing Authority in Birmingham, Alabama, has taken its approach to public safety far beyond simple surveillance. Its network of 400 cameras not only records activity, but also actively assists in building criminal cases. According to Officer Truman Fitzgerald, this technology has made a real difference—he credited the system as essential in solving the Kingston homicide. By automatically organizing evidence from various sources, the system turns fragmented data into comprehensive, prosecution-ready case files.

“One click and you have everything you need,” said LiveView Technologies' Vice President of Product Development James Bangerter. From automated timestamps to keyword searches, what once consumed hours of investigative work now happens instantly. 

Agentic Security Systems Deliver Measurable Results

The security landscape has fundamentally changed. While organized retail crime rings operate like Fortune 500 companies and utility attacks surge 70% year over year, traditional security measures struggle to keep pace. However, across industries—from Las Vegas transit systems to Birmingham housing complexes—AI-powered security proves its worth every day.

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's 2024 guidelines acknowledge this shift, highlighting AI's “transformative benefits” while establishing clear protocols for implementation. These aren't autonomous robots making judgment calls, they're intelligent systems working in partnership with security professionals.

The results speak for themselves:

• Response times cut from minutes to seconds
• False alarms reduced by 70%
• Coverage expanded without adding staff
• Retail theft incidents down 40%

“Security teams can now access more advanced deterrence features that provide 24/7 coverage and keep personnel aware of risks or incidents so they can make informed and effective responses,” said Bangerter. “Simply put, no other mobile security solution offers AI of this caliber.”

Ready to transform your security operations from reactive to proactive? Contact our team today for a demo and discover how LiveView Technologies' agentic AI and intelligent agents can protect your assets, employees, and bottom line.