Our 2026 security industry predictions series rolls on with Gerard Figols, chief operating officer at i-PRO. He looks ahead to some of the things that could be different across the sector in the next 12 months or so. Figols shared his 2025 security industry reflections in a post last month.
Gerard Figols 2026 Security Industry Predictions
Read on to check out Gerard Figols’ 2026 security industry predictions. We’ll have more predictions from others among the brightest minds in the security industry throughout the month.
Security Sales & Integration: What technology category or solution area is the ripest, most profitable growth opportunity for integrators in 2026?
Gerard Figols: The biggest opportunity lies in supporting systems that require continuous updates. As artificial intelligence evolves and cybersecurity requirements intensify, integrators will move toward recurring revenue models based on maintenance, upgrades and lifecycle management.
Technologies such as generative AI at the edge will require ongoing refinement. Cybersecurity hardening requires regular intervention. IT departments expect these types of maintenance contracts and network-based security infrastructure is no different.
These trends create long-term service opportunities that go far beyond installation work.
SSI: Which emerging technologies are overplayed? Which ones will truly transform integration work in the coming years?
Figols: Generalized AI messaging is often overplayed. Too many products apply the AI label without clearly defining what it does or how it helps. The real transformation will come from AI that is tightly aligned with specific use cases.
When AI is combined with the right hardware, the right application and a backend that supports the workflow, it produces meaningful results. When it is presented as a general-purpose solution, it rarely delivers. The technologies that will matter most are those that offer concrete, repeatable value in the field.
SSI: What’s getting better about the security industry and what seems to be getting worse?
Figols: What is improving is the quality and capability of the technology. AI accuracy is better. Performance is better. The industry is moving toward proactive detection instead of passive monitoring. On the other hand, the pace of change is accelerating so quickly that it is becoming harder for integrators and consultants to stay current.
The demand for continuous education is higher than ever and the knowledge gap will widen if the industry does not address it.
SSI: What’s liable to catch some dealers, installers and integrators off guard in the coming year?
Figols: The speed of technological evolution. Integrators who do not invest in ongoing training or who continue treating installations as one-time projects will fall behind. AI, cloud workflows and cybersecurity responsibilities are evolving continuously. Even manufacturers struggle to keep pace. For those who are not immersed in these technologies day to day, the learning curve will be steep.
SSI: What is the single most pressing challenge the industry must tackle right now and how should it be addressed?
Figols: Cybersecurity is the industry’s biggest challenge. It underpins everything else. Without strong cybersecurity, neither AI nor cloud systems can be trusted. The solution requires shared responsibility.
Manufacturers must build secure devices and support long-term updates. Integrators must adopt cybersecurity as part of their core service offering rather than an optional add-on. End users must understand that cybersecurity requires continuous attention, not a one-time configuration.
Education is critical for long-term success and customer confidence which is why we are offering i-PRO university as a way to educate systems integrators on the latest technology and best practices.
SSI: Finish this sentence: 2026 will be remembered as the year that the security industry…
Figols: …moved decisively toward practical, real-world AI applications that improve accuracy, reduce complexity and make systems more proactive with education and cybersecurity becoming essential to every deployment.
Click here to check out all the entries in our 2026 security industry predictions series!
