For most of my career in Executive Protection and global risk management, the industry has been anchored in a predictable formula: physical presence, disciplined training, and the right mix of procedures and technology. For decades, we’ve framed security around “gates, guns, and guards,” with cyber often operating in its own silo.
But today, we are facing a new reality—one that is no longer on the horizon but already here.
AI isn’t coming. It has arrived. And companies that fail to adapt will be left behind, irrelevant, and eventually extinct.
Over the last year or so, I’ve noticed our clients asking different questions, demanding different solutions, and expecting a level of intelligence and foresight that legacy security models simply cannot deliver. The old approach of deploying more personnel, expanding guard forces, or relying on static technology is no longer enough. Artificial intelligence is reshaping security in real time.
It’s becoming more and more apparent to me that those of us willing to evolve will lead. Those who don’t will disappear.
The Era of Context-Driven Security Has Arrived
Historically, we (as an industry) have been reactive in nature. A threat appears, and teams respond. Even our intelligence processes—OSINT, SOCMINT, and protective intelligence—have relied heavily on the time and capacity of human analysts.
AI is changing that dynamic entirely.
With AI-enabled intelligence platforms (including the one we’re continuing to develop at Samaritan), we can now:
- Detect anomalies across vast datasets in real time
- Identify subtle threat indicators far earlier than human analysis alone
- Correlate events across geography, mission type, sentiment, and behavior
- Tailor intelligence around specific operational needs: executive travel, event protection, residential security, corporate facilities, and more
This is more than automation. It is the democratization of intelligence, giving small and mid-sized teams the ability to operate at a level once reserved for enterprise-scale security programs.
I’ve seen the demand shifting from manpower to mission-specific insight. The companies that embrace this shift will define the next evolution of protective services.
Executive Protection Is Being Reimagined, But Not Replaced
One uncomfortable, but necessary, conversation I’ve noticed happening in our industry revolves around whether AI will replace security personnel. The truth is more nuanced in my opinion.
Our clients are no longer interested in simply “adding more guards.” They want solutions, not staffing.
AI-powered video analytics, autonomous patrol systems, drones, and intelligent access-control tools are becoming mainstream augmentations to human teams.
This shift is particularly visible in Residential Security Teams (RSTs)—one of the most manpower-heavy areas of the industry.
Traditionally, RSTs rely on:
- Static gatehouse personnel
- Continuous foot patrols
- Manual access control
- 24/7 physical presence
AI is already transforming these expectations:
- Facial recognition entry systems can reduce or replace gatehouse staffing
- Behavioral anomaly detection can alert teams to suspicious movement around a property
- Automated visitor verification can manage deliveries and contractors
- Autonomous patrol drones can conduct nighttime perimeter sweeps
- Predictive intelligence feeds can identify risks before they reach the residence
This does not eliminate the need for residential agents—but it changes the size, structure, and skillset required.
The RST of the future will be leaner, smarter, and more tech-integrated, with agents managing and interfacing with AI systems rather than manually covering every vulnerability themselves.
The Deepfake Threat: A New Category of Exposure
AI is revolutionizing security, but it is also giving threat actors new tools; perhaps none more concerning than deepfakes.
We are entering an era where any client can be impersonated through AI-generated voice, video, or real-time manipulation. This is not hypothetical—it’s already happening at scale.
As an example, I heard on the radio today that McAfee just identified Taylor Swift as the “Most Dangerous Celebrity” online, not because of her actions, but because deepfake scams impersonating her are flooding the internet.
This is a preview of what protective professionals may soon face:
- Deepfake voice calls used to mimic principals
- Fake video messages instructing staff, executives, or even children
- Synthetic audio used to socially engineer corporate administrators
- AI-generated imagery used to bypass identity verification
- False narratives spread online to create reputational or physical risks
In the near future, deepfakes may be one of the most common and damaging threat vectors for high-net-worth clients, executives, and public figures.
Security providers must integrate:
- Deepfake detection tools
- Communication verification protocols
- Digital identity monitoring
- Training for household and corporate staff
- Cyber-physical intelligence fusion
Protection no longer stops at the physical perimeter—it now includes protecting identities.
Cyber / Physical Consolidation Is No Longer Optional
We’ve been talking for years about cyber and physical security operating as independent domains. But AI is eliminating the separation between them.
Threat actors don’t care whether an attack is digital or physical—they exploit whatever path is easiest.
AI now bridges these domains by enabling:
- Correlation of digital threat indicators with physical-world activity
- TSCM programs assisted by AI-driven RF anomaly detection
- Residential access systems tied to digital identity validation
- GSOCs evolving from reactive monitoring centers to predictive risk hubs
Clients now expect a unified security posture. Security and EP companies, along with corporate security teams that cling to siloed operations, will struggle to remain competitive.
Clients Are Prioritizing Value, Not Volume
More and more, our clients are asking:
“What solutions—other than personnel—can enhance our security posture without increasing headcount?”
This is a major mindset shift.
Security no longer equals more people. It equals:
- Better intelligence
- Faster insight
- Predictive capability
- Efficient technology
- Reduced risk
- Clear ROI
AI enables all of this.
Security companies that cling to manpower-heavy models will fade away.
Those offering outcome-driven, intelligence-supported solutions will dominate the next era of the industry.
The Rise of the AI-Augmented Protective Intelligence Specialist
One of the roles that will grow, not shrink, in the age of AI is the protective intelligence professional.
AI can process data at an unimaginable scale, but it cannot fully grasp context, nuance, or intent. That is where human judgment still leads.
We will see:
- Hybrid PI/EP/GSOC roles
- Analysts supported by AI-driven data triage
- Mission-focused intelligence models
- More organizations are prioritizing PI before physical deployment
Protective intelligence will no longer be an optional capability—it will be foundational.
Challenges We Must Prepare For
Data Quality
AI amplifies whatever data it receives. Poor data leads to poor decisions.
Over-Reliance on Automation
Automation should enhance—not replace—human judgment.
Ethical and Privacy Implications
Facial recognition and identity monitoring require oversight and balanced policies.
Skill Gaps
Our workforce must be trained to operate confidently in AI-augmented environments.
Deepfake Misuse
Identity protection must become part of every executive security program.
An Industry at a Crossroads—And a Moment of Opportunity
What excites me most about AI is not the technology itself, but what it enables.
The future belongs to organizations that:
- Merge cyber and physical operations
- Use AI-driven intelligence as a force multiplier
- Offer solutions rather than headcount
- Integrate identity protection into security programs
- Innovate rather than react
- Provide measurable value, not manpower volume
AI does not threaten our relevance; it expands it for those willing to evolve. The security industry is entering a new era. Those who adapt will lead. Those who resist will be left behind.
About the Author:
Brandon Shafikhani is the CEO of Samaritan Protective Services, a global risk-management and protective-intelligence firm based in Washington, DC, and London. With extensive experience in Executive Protection, intelligence operations, and security program development, he leads Samaritan in delivering advanced, technology-enabled solutions to corporate, government, and high-net-worth clients worldwide.
