Security integrators face new reality as software dominates

NEW YORK— The security industry is undergoing a quiet but profound transformation - what experts are calling an “invisible megatrend.”

At the Security Industry Association’s Securing New Ground (SNG) conference, a panel of industry leaders - Steve Van Till, Brivo founder and CEO; Devin Love, VP of global software platforms at Allegion; Tara Dunning, VP of global converging technology at Wesco; and Eric Yunag, EVP of products and services at Convergint - explored the shift in value creation from hardware to software.

A new challenge – and opportunity – for integrators 

Van Till noted that by 2030, software is projected to account for nearly 45% of total product revenue in the security industry. While this excludes integrator revenue, it signals a shift in the value chain. “Our integrators need to follow this trend to participate in that major field of growth,” he said. “Not all frontline salespeople are great at selling software.”

Historically, integrators focused on physical infrastructure - installing cameras, access control systems, and alarms. But with cloud platforms, mobile credentials, and AI-driven analytics, the skill set required is evolving. Van Till emphasized that integrators must adapt to remain relevant.

AI’s growing role and disruptive potential 

AI is rapidly becoming table stakes. At ISC West, over 55% of exhibitors claimed to use AI. Van Till quoted Bessemer Venture Partners: “AI is a mass extinction event for software,” noting that AI can replicate platforms like Adobe or Slack far faster than they were originally built. Yet, he argued, the security industry has protective “moats.”

“No. 1, we've got that hardware anchor,” Van Till said. “You're not going to replace all those integrators with 30,000 hours on a generative AI platform.” He described integration across vendors as an “art form,” suggesting the sector is in a “protected mode” - for now.

Crossing the blood-brain barrier

Love expanded on the hardware-software dynamic, likening it to the blood-brain barrier. “Hardware is the lifeblood of our industry,” he said. “This AI brain is hungry for interacting with the real physical world, and there's no getting around that.”

Hardware generates the data AI systems crave but cannot produce themselves. To traverse this barrier, Love called for standardized APIs, outcome-first design, and interoperable ecosystems. “How do you take a standards-based approach to driving all of that data across a solution set so that the availability of the data delivers higher hardware value?” he asked.

The software shift: Who owns the responsibility for sales enablement?

When asked who bears responsibility for preparing sales teams to sell software, Dunning emphasized collective accountability. “Distributors, manufacturers, and solutions providers all play a role,” she said. “With the pace of technological change, everyone has a part.”

Yunag reframed the challenge as a broader evolution in sales strategy. “Helping our industry sell software better is another version of selling products,” he said.

With over 700 sellers at Convergint, Yunag stressed the importance of cultivating a solutions-oriented mindset. “It isn’t anything like it was 10 years ago,” he said. The goal is to empower sellers to solve problems holistically - not just pitch products.

As software continues to reshape the security landscape, integrators who embrace this evolution - blending technical fluency with strategic insight - will be best positioned to lead. The future won’t be defined by what’s installed, but by what’s intelligently orchestrated.