About 10 years ago, we were looking forward to an emerging home security trend: wireless home security systems with home automation capabilities. Now, those are everywhere. All the best home security systems of 2025 are wireless and capable of automating homes. And that was the last big transformation in the security market.
Based on current development trends, 2026 is expected to bring AI security solutions that will transform the way we protect our homes. We’re excited about this, so our team analyzed over 40 emerging AI technologies, interviewed industry experts, and reviewed patent filings from major manufacturers to understand what’s coming to market.
We found that there’s likely going to be a clear shift toward predictive, personalized, and surprisingly affordable AI-powered security systems. Let’s dig deeper and break down the key AI innovations arriving in 2026.
>> Related Post: The Best Security Cameras with AI Facial Recognition in 2025
The Current State of AI in Home Security
AI in home security isn’t new. The Nest Cam IQ launched in 2017, and it was one of the first residential security cameras with AI facial recognition.1 Since then, development of AI-powered home security has been slow but steady.
In our experience testing the latest generation of Nest Cams, facial recognition is now almost perfectly accurate. This corroborates findings by the National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) that accuracy rates can be as high as 95 to 98 percent in good lighting conditions.2 Smart cameras can differentiate between humans, animals, and vehicles, which reduces false alarms by up to 80 percent compared to traditional motion sensors based on our tests.
The Nest Cam is an early example of an AI-powered security device
Current home security AI features aren’t perfect though. False alerts are still a concern, especially in non-ideal situations caused by low lighting or weather conditions like rain or snow. Many home owners also struggle with the complexity of setting up AI detection zones and notification preferences. And of course, there are still privacy concerns around cloud-based video analysis.
To sum up, here are the pros and cons of current AI-powered home security features:
What We Like:
- Reliable person detection eliminates most pet-related false alarms
- Instant smartphone notifications can tell you what the camera saw without opening clips
- Cloud storage automatically saves and tags important events
What We Don’t Like:
- Performance and accuracy drops significantly in low-light conditions
- Most systems require strong Wi-Fi coverage and a tedious setup process to get the features right
- Many systems also require a separate subscription for advanced AI features
Pro Tip: If you’re worried about privacy, some smart security cameras offer on-board processing, where videos are processed locally either on the device itself or using a separate hub. We’ve seen this from some of the Lorex cameras we tested, and the Deep Sentinel security system we reviewed.
Breakthrough AI Technologies Coming in 2026
Next, let’s talk about what’s likely coming to the home security market in terms of AI-powered security features.
Advanced Behavioral Pattern Recognition
Behavioral pattern recognition goes far beyond simple motion detection. These systems will learn your family’s daily routines and identify anomalies that suggest security threats.
These systems will likely be able to track patterns such as:
- Typical arrival and departure times of family members
- Normal duration of visits from regular guests (including pet sitters, house cleaners, etc.)
- Usual areas where household members spend time
- Standard movement patterns during different times of day
We’re starting to see a primitive version of this AI technology. When we reviewed Vivint, we saw how the Vivint security cameras use behavior recognition to identify and deter potential threats such as trespassers and lurkers. However, that feature (called Smart Deter) still requires complex set-up.
Real-World Example: A 2026 AI system might recognize that someone is moving through your home unusually slowly and quietly at 2 AM, even if they have the correct entry code. The system would flag this as suspicious behavior worth investigating, rather than simply logging an authorized entry.
Predictive Threat Assessment
2026 will also likely introduce AI systems that can predict potential security incidents before they occur. These systems might analyze neighborhood crime data, weather patterns, and local events to assess threat levels in real-time.
The key predictive capabilities might include:
- Identifying homes being “cased” by potential burglars
- Recognizing suspicious vehicles that appear repeatedly in the neighborhood
- Correlating local events with historical crime patterns
- Adjusting system sensitivity based on threat-level assessments
Even today, Ring’s app can alert users to nearby incidents to help them prepare for possible security threats
Tip: Even today, some security systems integrate with local crime databases and neighborhood watch networks to offer homeowners additional insight. For example, the Ring security cameras and Ring Alarm security system we tested have an app called “Neighbors by Ring” that provides real-time safety alerts based on local crime data.
Multi-Modal Sensor Fusion
Next-generation security systems powered by AI will be able to combine data from multiple sensors to be better at assessing threats and abnormalities, and reducing false alarms. For example, a temperature sensor sensing higher or lower temperatures than normal might be able to indicate that a window is broken, even though window sensors aren’t triggered.
Although not exactly for home security, the smart thermostat brand Ecobee has been using a multi-modal approach for over a decade. Their thermostat can automatically adjust the temperature based on data from its built-in sensors, but they also offer wireless occupancy and temperature sensors you can place in different areas around the house. The smart thermostat uses additional data from those remote sensors to keep occupied rooms comfortable.
>> Related: Ecobee Smart Security System Review
Edge Computing and Privacy Protection
Deep Sentinel, a security camera with AI, uses the AI Hub (top center) to process and analyze video locally
Current security systems that use AI analyze data (such as video and audio) in the cloud. This means if the internet is down, AI features don’t work. We’re expecting a major shift toward on-device processing. This will address the concern about internet-reliance, and could also improve response times and solve the privacy concerns of having your home’s video and audio sent to a remote cloud.
On the downside, we think edge computing will increase hardware costs. Deep Sentinel, a brand that offers cameras with local processing, charges $399 for a system with one hub and one outdoor camera. That’s almost double the typical price of outdoor cameras that use cloud processing (such as the $179 Nest Cam Battery), because manufacturers have to give their hardware higher processing capabilities.
Best of Both Worlds: In our opinion, a security system that analyzes data on a separate, on-site device (e.g. a digital video recorder or DVR) is the best alternative. Some Lorex DVRs, for example, support facial recognition. Instead of sending videos to the cloud for analysis, the DVR analyzes videos from security cameras for on-site processing. This keeps camera prices low, while offering the benefits of edge computing.
AI-Powered Smart Integration and Home Automation
In addition to bringing forth new ways to protect your home, we’ll also likely see improvements to how home security systems offer home automation thanks to AI. We’ve long said that a smart home isn’t just a collection of internet-connected appliances and devices. Instead, those devices should be able to act autonomously depending on various situations and activities.
Here are some examples of how we think AI-powered security systems will improve smart integrations and home automation.
Seamless Smart Home Integrations
AI-powered security systems will soon serve as the central nervous system for all home automation. Of course, security systems such as Abode and Vivint can already integrate with smart home devices. Both also offer smartphone apps you can use to set up rule-based (trigger and response) automations.
Our prediction is that these types of systems will be able to more seamlessly orchestrate automated actions, while also requiring less set up. Here are a couple of hypothetical scenarios:
- You’ll be able to set your system to Vacation Mode, and it will automatically control connected devices such as lights and appliances to make your home seem occupied.
- During alarm events, your security system can set up a temporary access code for emergency response personnel so they could unlock your door via the connected smart lock.
FYI: The latter is close to becoming reality. We used the Trusted Neighbor feature last time we tested an ADT system. This feature allowed our Nest Doorbell’s facial recognition, Yale smart lock, and ADT system to coordinate, allowing us to create a list of trusted people they’d let in our home at certain times or during certain events (e.g. when the water sensor detects a leak).
Voice Control and Natural Language Processing
There’s no doubt that the biggest leap in AI technology today is in the field of natural language processing. There are already many security systems that work with Alexa, but by 2026, we might see an improvement with how they work with Alexa and similar voice assistants.
For example, with the Cove security system we tested, we had to say the exact phrase, “Alexa, ask my security system for status,” to get a report on its current arming status. With better natural language processing, you might be able to give more natural commands, like “Alexa, is my system armed?”
Privacy and Data Security Considerations of AI-Powered Home Security
One major concern about anything that involves AI is privacy, and that’s certainly true for the devices you’re putting in your home. In addition to giving our technology predictions, we also looked into security features and practices manufacturers should adopt to make AI-powered home security a better experience for end users.
We took inspiration from the guidelines released by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on best practices for securing data used to operate AI systems.3 We came up with these predictions:
- End-to-end encryption (E2EE): All video and audio data will have to be end-to-end encrypted to ensure secure transmission, whether processing is done locally or on the device.
- Automatic security updates: Regular security updates have long been a standard in security products, but it will be more important with the emergence of AI that can analyze data like a household’s daily routines.
- Multi-factor authentication: Multi-factor authentication is another way manufacturers will be able to ensure that the data and insights gathered by AI will only be accessed by authorised users.
- Regular security audits: And of course, manufacturers should ensure their AI systems are regularly audited by independent parties to make sure their security are up to industry standards.
Expected Pricing for 2026 AI Security Systems
Based on current development costs and manufacturing trends, comprehensive AI security systems in 2026 will cost less than today’s premium offerings, while providing similar or superior capabilities.
| System Type | 2024 to 2025 Price | Projected 2026 Price | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic AI Package | $800 to $1,200 | $400 to $600 | Facial recognition, behavioral learning |
| Advanced Multi-Modal Systems | $2,000 to $3,500 | $800 to $1,200 | Full sensor fusion, predictive analysis |
| Professional Edge Computing (ideal for businesses) | $4,000 to $6,000 | $1,500 to $2,500 | Complete local processing, enterprise-grade encryption |
Installation and Ongoing Costs
A Vivint Smart Home Pro preparing to install the AI-driven Outdoor Camera Pro
Professional installation costs are expected to decrease over time, as AI-powered systems become more standardized and installer training improves. DIY installation might also become more common with better setup guidance and automated configuration. This is similar to how things played out when wireless security systems became the hottest market trend. Professional installation used to cost $250 or more (including activation fees), but now, it’s in the $100 to $200 range. The majority of home security brands now also offer DIY installation.
Monthly service costs will also vary based on features. The cost of basic monitoring has been in a downward trend. ADT’s pricing has gone down to $25 to $40 per month from $40 to $60 per month before. Of course, more advanced AI systems will still need a higher monthly fee, likely somewhere in the $25 to $60 per month. Currently, systems with advanced AI features like Deep Sentinel charge $100+ per month.
Return on Investment Considerations
Insurance companies are beginning to offer discounts for AI-powered security systems, recognizing their superior theft and damage prevention capabilities. Typical discounts range from 5-15% on homeowner’s insurance premiums.
Additional value factors include:
- Reduced false alarm fees through improved accuracy
- Lower energy costs through integrated home automation
- Potential increase in home resale value
- Peace of mind value that’s difficult to quantify but significant for most families
Should You Buy Into AI-Powered Home Security? Our Expert Recommendations
Our 2026 AI home security predictions signify a giant leap compared to current technologies available to consumers. It’s promising and exciting, but we also know that these developments take time to mature. Our recommendation? Unless your security system is completely inadequate, we recommend waiting and watching the space of AI-powered home security. In the meantime, take these steps to prepare your home for AI:
- Upgrade your home network to Wi-Fi 6, with minimum upload speeds of 25 Mbps for cloud backup and processing.
- Set up more reliable Ethernet connections for locations where you plan to put your primary security system hub.
- Prepare an uninterruptible power supply for critical components such as hubs and security cameras.
- Upgrade electrical systems to support potentially more power-hungry devices, especially if you plan to use a system with local, on-site processing.
The future of home security isn’t just about catching intruders. It’s about creating intelligent environments that actively protect your family while simplifying your daily life. If our predictions are right, 2026 will be the year this vision becomes reality for mainstream consumers.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Will AI security systems work during power outages?
Most security systems today already include battery backup for up to 24 hours of operation. Battery-powered security cameras are now also common. However, while most components will continue to work during outages, some advanced AI features may be limited.
- How accurate is AI at distinguishing between family members and strangers?
According to the NIST, AI is about 95 to 98 percent accurate, although this depends on a number of factors such as lighting conditions and external weather.
- Do I need to upgrade my internet connection for AI security?
Most homes with 25+ Mbps internet can support AI security systems. However, homes with multiple high-resolution cameras may benefit from faster upload speeds for cloud backup features.
- Will insurance companies offer discounts for AI security systems?
Many insurers already offer 5-15% discounts for smart security systems, with larger discounts expected as AI systems prove their effectiveness at preventing break-ins and property damage.
- Can AI security systems be hacked?
Like any connected device, AI security systems face cybersecurity risks. However, manufacturers will likely implement military-grade encryption and regular security updates to minimize vulnerabilities significantly compared to current offerings.
