6 01732 759725 ...continued NEWS continued... UK a pacesetter in integration of AI and physical security systems Organisations in the UK and Ireland are setting the pace when it comes to the use of AI within physical security systems, reveals Verkada’s 2026 State of Cloud Physical Security Report. In a survey for the report, 49% of organisations in the UK and Ireland say they are already using AI in their physical security systems – the highest level among the five European countries surveyed – and an additional 27% are piloting or testing the technology. Among those already using/piloting AI, the most widely deployed capabilities are AI-verified alarm monitoring (52%); real-time motion, loitering or line-crossing alerts (47%); AI-generated incident reports (44%); facial recognition (43%); and AIpowered proactive deterrence such as automated voice warnings (43%). Uncertainty about AI regulations is limiting the take-up of certain technologies, including facial recognition (restricted/avoided by 42%), real-time biometric identification (41%) and automated decision-making without human review (30%). The actual or predicted operational benefits of AI include faster incident investigations (cited by 58%), improved real-time threat detection (56%), proactive crime prevention (40%), fewer false alarms (39%) and lower security operating costs (36%). https://www.verkada.com/ ebooks/2026-state-of-cloud-physicalsecurity-global-edition/ … IT teams set to expand Nearly half of UK employers (47%) plan to expand their technology teams before the end of the year as businesses continue to invest in digital transformation, cyber security, AI and cloud infrastructure, according to new research from Robert Half. In addition to those planning to increase permanent IT headcount, a further 25% of the 500 hiring managers and 1,000 professionals surveyed are ramping up contract and project-based hiring. The most in-demand skills are cyber security (54%), agentic AI use (50%), generative AI solutions (48%), cloud (44%) and business intelligence (44%). Matt Weston, Senior Managing Director, UK & Ireland at Robert Half, said: “We’re seeing strong demand for professionals who combine technical expertise with strategic decision-making. AI is automating some tasks, but it isn’t replacing the need for skilled technology talent. In many cases, it’s making those skills even more valuable.” https://www.roberthalf.com/gb/en. … Poor planning sets the scene for AI disappointment Almost half (49%) of leaders in midmarket organisations believe their AI initiatives have failed to deliver value or been underwhelming, claims digital transformation business TXP. Its survey of 200 business leaders involved in AI strategy shows that despite organisations spending an average of more than £1 million on AI pilots and proofs of concept over the past three years, fewer than half (47%) of these initiatives have scaled into production. Cost (49%), governance and risk concerns (39%) and poor data quality or accessibility (38%) are the main barriers to scaling AI pilots. More than three-quarters (77%) of business leaders say that their organisation should have invested more time and budget into discovery before beginning their AI initiatives. Tim Hurst, Chief Operations Officer at TXP, said: “Underinvestment in the discovery phase that should underpin AI initiatives means many organisations lack a deep understanding of existing systems, dependencies, internal policies and business goals. Without knowledge of these, AI will never deliver its true value.” The report highlights three areas where mid-market organisations can drive greater value from AI: Turning individual expertise into shared capabilities: 69% of respondents say key knowledge remains with individuals rather than being documented and shared. More than half (58%) say poor collaboration is hindering AI projects. Designing workflows around AI: only 50% of respondents say their organisation has redesigned its workflows for AI, with more than a third (37%) bolting AI onto existing workflows. Orchestrating AI across the estate: while 59% of business leaders are very confident that their organisation has the data foundation to scale AI, 64% admit to technology Openreach full fibre network ‘listens’ for leaks in nearby water pipes The benefits of Openreach’s extensive Full Fibre network are not limited to faster broadband. As pilots with fibresensing company Lightsonic and Affinity Water show, it also has a role to play in reducing the 2.6 billion litres of water lost every day through leaks across the country’s ageing water network. Lightsonic’s leak detection technology transforms fibre networks into acoustic sensors that are able to ‘hear’ leaks in nearby water pipes, providing technicians with accurate location data so they can check and stop a leak quickly and efficiently. The technology can also categorise the most severe leaks to help maintenance teams prioritise repairs. Openreach says Lightsonic’s fibreoptic leak detection platform enables technicians to find four times as many leaks in fewer field hours than existing leak detection methods, and removes the need to install a separate system of physical sensors or carry out widespread excavations. In pilots with Affinity Water, Lightsonic used Openreach’s full fibre broadband network to monitor 650 kilometres of the UK water network and in just three months located more than 100 leaks, saving 2 million litres of water a day, equivalent to more than 700 million litres a year, enough to supply 10,000 people. So successful have the pilots been that Southern Water is now trialling Lightsonic’s water leak detection technology to help it meet OFWAT’s 2030 leak reduction targets and improve the drought resilience of its water supply network. Tommy Langnes, CEO of Lightsonic, said: “By utilising existing fibre optic infrastructure, we have a solution that can be quickly and effectively scaled across the UK to help utility companies get a handle on leaks, secure supply and generate savings that can be reinvested to upgrade our ageing network. The industry needs a quick and comprehensive response and that is what we offer.”
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