Industry trends shaping security and critical communication in 2026

As we enter 2026, security industry trends for 2026 point to a decisive phase for the security and safety sector. Technologies are evolving quickly, but more importantly, expectations are changing across regulators, operators, and end users.

Having spent over two decades across R&D, product management, sales, and marketing in this industry, I’ve seen how often critical communication and audio have been treated as secondary systems. That mindset is finally shifting. And it needs to.

Defining Security Industry Trends 2026

1. Hybrid cloud becomes the default, not the exception

Hybrid cloud architectures are moving into the mainstream. For security and safety systems, this is not about abandoning on-premise infrastructure. It’s about combining the control and reliability of local systems with the flexibility of cloud-based services.

Remote monitoring, diagnostics, and software updates reduce the need for on-site intervention and help teams keep systems operational. For safety-critical environments, uptime is not just a technical metric — it directly impacts people’s safety. By 2026, hybrid cloud will no longer be a forward-looking strategy. It will be the expected baseline.

2. Cybersecurity regulation accelerates — and enforcement follows

Cybercrime continues to grow, and regulators are responding. Frameworks such as NIS2 and the EU Cyber Resilience Act are raising the bar for how security and safety systems are designed, developed, and maintained.

This is not about reacting to individual threats. It’s about embedding cybersecurity throughout the product lifecycle — from secure design and development to ongoing patching, updates, and risk management. Many organisations are still adjusting, and that adjustment period will continue into 2026. But expectations are clear: cybersecurity can no longer be treated as an add-on.

3. Audio becomes essential to security strategies

For years, the industry has been largely video-first. That is changing.

High-quality, intelligible audio is increasingly recognised as essential for situational awareness and effective response. Audio enables direct communication — instructions, warnings, reassurance — in a way that cameras alone cannot. As cities become smarter and systems more connected, the role of audio in security strategies will only grow.

By 2026, audio will no longer be optional. It will be a core component of modern security and safety systems.

4. Agentic AI enters the experimentation phase

Artificial intelligence is also evolving. Rather than relying on single, monolithic AI systems, we are starting to see experimentation with agentic AI — multiple specialised agents working together.

In a security context, this means correlating audio events, voice interactions, video feeds, access logs, and IT data to build a richer operational picture. While this is still early-stage for many organisations, the direction is clear: smarter systems that support faster, more informed decision-making.

Looking Ahead

Security and critical communication systems should be treated as living infrastructure, not projects that are finished and forgotten. That means choosing open, hybrid architectures that allow for future expansion, taking cybersecurity seriously throughout the system lifecycle, and ensuring that clear, two-way audio communication is built into designs from the start.

As we enter the new year, the professionals who succeed will be those who stay curious and think beyond traditional silos — combining IT, OT, cybersecurity, and operational expertise. The challenges are growing more complex, but so are the opportunities to build systems that genuinely protect people and everyday life.

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This article was published as an interview in the January 2026 edition of the International Security Journal.