Agentic AI enhances security by deploying adaptive agents that respond to threats in real time, outperforming traditional rule-based software.
AI tools that can assess and respond to security threats are no longer the stuff of science fiction. They represent a historic shift in a security industry that has traditionally assumed machines trigger alerts and humans take action. In this new reality, so-called "AI agents" become the first line of defense, handling such frontline tasks as issuing verbal warnings to intruders or reviewing hours of video footage for patterns of illegal activity.
Autonomous AI technology is evolving so rapidly that even seasoned professionals are still figuring out the implications of AI agents taking over labor-intensive roles. In this article, we’ll shed some light on the nature of agentic AI and how it differs from traditional security software.
Traditional security software operates using fixed rule sets. Developers must anticipate every possible scenario a system might encounter and factor that into code. If a system needs to recognize a new threat, developers must write, test, and deploy new rules—a time-consuming and expensive process.
In contrast, agentic AI involves the deployment of AI agents—dynamic programs that utilize machine learning models and decision-making algorithms to interact with the real world. They are akin to intelligent apprentices learning the nuances of surveillance at a given location.
"Agentic AI takes a lot of the customized software development from back in the day out of the equation," said Steve Lindsey, founding partner and CTO of LiveView Technologies (LVT). "It allows you to create these agents that have a job to do, and they can access the data needed to do the job, and they can kind of figure it out on their own, which is really cool."
Instead of sticking to pre-set rules, agentic AI uses machine learning to analyze human behavior and flag anything out of the ordinary, such as someone loitering around a construction site at night. AI agents are to security systems what autopilot systems are to airplanes, albeit with machine learning added to the equation.
"We really can minimize how much the human needs to be involved," said Lindsey. "We can move from being reactionary to predictive and even preventative. Agentic AI introduces agility and future-proofing like we've never seen before."
Traditional software can log and flag events for human review, but not analyze human intent or assess risk. However, AI agents can come to recognize complex human interactions, such as whether two people are engaged in animated conversation or are fighting each other.
Security teams will work with software designers and AI specialists to determine the operating parameters of the AI agents based on the needs of customers. This involves defining what constitutes suspicious activity, when an agent can act autonomously, and when it's time to get a human involved. While this might seem similar to traditional software, the key is that AI agents can expand upon the original logic set by their designers.
Lindsey says the most efficient security systems are those that recognize and respond to security threats the moment they occur. The ability for AI agents to adapt in real time means quicker responses and fewer false alarms. This is a natural fit for AI agents.
"The best time to gather evidence is while it's happening, and the only way you can do that is if you have systems that are able to aggregate and tag and bring all that information together," said Lindsey. "In a sea of 99 percent green actors, we have to find the red actor. This could be car prowlers serpentining through a parking lot or two people getting out of the same car but going into two separate doors of a retail store. That's not normal behavior. As criminals put countermeasures in place, agentic AI can countermeasure their countermeasures."
One of the most practical applications of AI agents is what's known as audio talk down. In traditional security setups, a security professional at a command center sees suspicious behavior on a monitor and speaks directly to intruders over a loudspeaker onsite. With AI agents, this task can be automated, complete with human-sounding AI voices describing details about the scene that will convince intruders a live security guard is speaking to them, such as, "You in the black jacket by the fence. Leave the premises immediately."
This allows security systems to deter intruders quickly, without human intervention. Should perpetrators not comply, the AI agent can alert a security team member.
"We understand the attributes and behaviors of particular threats and can customize a talk-down message verbalized to the perpetrators," said Lindsey. "That takes deterrence to a whole new level."
Beyond incident response, AI agents add tremendous value by automating operational reports—a time-consuming task for security teams. AI agents can aggregate data from multiple devices (cameras, sensors, access logs) and generate structured reports for review.
"It's a very exciting time when we think about agentic AI from that perspective," said Lindsey. "It allows us to focus more on behaviors and deliver a summary of what the AI agent is seeing. Not only does it see a person, but it sees somebody doing a particular action."
A common concern among security professionals is whether they can trust AI agents to make critical decisions. However, AI agents don't operate independently from human oversight. They remain within predefined limits and don't develop independent goals beyond their programming. In essence, they are adaptive analytics tools that reduce human fatigue and make security operations more proactive than reactionary.
LiveView Technologies has been an innovator in using intelligent technology to assess and respond to security risks. The key difference between agentic AI and traditional software is adaptability. LVT is leading this shift by integrating AI-driven security solutions that provide faster, more intelligent threat detection and response.
Security professionals are no longer limited to reactive monitoring—with agentic automation, they can now anticipate and prevent threats before they escalate. And with LVT’s expertise, businesses can ensure they’re at the cutting edge of this security transformation.
