2025 Security Industry Predictions: Faisal Pandit, VP and GM, Johnson Controls
Pandit, vice president and general manager of Johnson Controls Security Products, shares his predictions for the security industry in 2025.
Photo courtesy of Johnson Controls
Our 2025 Security Industry Predictions series continues with Faisal Pandit, vice president and general manager of Johnson Controls Security Products.
Security Sales & Integration: Without getting into any specific vendors or branded solutions, what technology category or solution area do you see as 2025’s ripest, most profitable growth opportunity for security dealers, installers, and integrators? Explain your reasoning.
Faisal Pandit: I believe the most profitable growth opportunities will arise from deploying integrated platforms that combine access control, video and intrusion systems enhanced by layers of artificial intelligence and IoT. This will enable customization and specialization for unique use cases.
These platforms not only improve the user experience by streamlining security processes but also reduce investment and training requirements. Prioritizing these areas will enhance user satisfaction, deliver better outcomes and accelerate the deployment of security solutions.
SSI: In the business and operations side, which single factor (e.g., interest rates, talent-related issues, geopolitical stressors) poses the biggest challenge for security businesses right now? How can business owners mitigate their downside risk?
Pandit: Talent shortages are the most pressing issue within physical security at present. Our responsibility should be to offer solutions to continue building skills for both those entering the industry and for security professionals already within it.
As end user demand grows for improved hardware that meets the latest security challenges, we need to tackle the difficulty in hiring head-on and invest in employee upskilling, partner with training programs, and offer competitive benefits to attract and retain talent.
On the hardware side, we need to ensure we are delivering products that are not needlessly complex and can be installed by technicians who may be newer to the field. Further, investments in AI technologies and the adoption of as a service models can ensure security continuity while addressing security staffing shortages.
SSI: What’s getting better about the security industry these days? What seems to be getting worse and worse?
Pandit: Interoperability in security solutions across security systems is continuing to become more efficient and cost-effective. As this becomes standard, the lines between intrusion detection, access control, and video surveillance are becoming more blurred, which is a good thing for overall system effectiveness.
For example, shared data platforms allow security systems to seamlessly exchange information in real time, improving response time and coordination across layers of security. Further, centralized control faces simplify system management by enabling remote and on-site monitoring and control of all aspects of security, improving efficiency and user experience.
This year will see organizations continuing to embrace the drive towards interoperability across security solutions.
The speed of innovation in security products has led to a fragmented regulatory landscape in some areas and we cannot let this worsen. We need to remain vigilant about the importance of compliance as it relates to end-user privacy and protection. We must ensure that products are aligned with current regulations but also can be updated or restructured to meet incoming compliance demands in the future.
SSI: What’s liable to catch some security dealers, installers, and integrators off guard in the coming year?
Pandit: As complex compliance landscapes become more central to considerations in physical security, the rise of specialized certification programs and new regulatory-focused security roles will catch some off guard. Organizations unprepared for this shift may struggle to compete, as end user clients increasingly prioritize partners with expertise in navigating these regulatory landscapes.
This trend also highlights the growing need to address talent shortages through targeted upskilling that trains staff on compliance requirements.
SSI: What’s the single most pressing issue that professionals in the security industry should look to tackle right now?
Pandit: The industry must address the user experience gap in security technologies as they exist now. Streamlined, intuitive interfaces are vital for ensuring adoption, maximizing return on investment for the customer, and reducing operational errors across enterprise, commercial and home users.
As technology evolves rapidly, incorporating user feedback is essential to ensure new solutions enhance safety and system protection. We must refine security practices to meet evolving needs continually.
SSI: Finish this sentence: 2025 will be remembered as the year that the security industry…
Pandit: …grew the prevalence of integrated platforms, with AI driving enhanced customization and personalization to address unique use cases across multiple verticals.
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