51% of utilities expect business intelligence or operational efficiency to deliver security tech’s greatest future value

Axis Communications, a leader in network video, has found that over half (51%) of UK & Ireland utilities decision-makers expect security technology’s greatest future value to come from business intelligence or operational efficiency, highlighting broader expectations alongside an established protection role. Looking ahead 3-5 years, 32% select business intelligence and analytics, while 19% choose operational efficiency and productivity, pointing to a need for actionable insights that improve decisions and performance.

The survey of 600 leaders across energy and renewables, water and wastewater, and oil and gas forms the basis of In Focus: A spotlight on utilities by Axis. The study explores how visual intelligence can extend the value of security technology, providing operational context to address major operational pressures including rising costs (71%), labour and skills shortages (46%) and business continuity & asset reliability (40%).

The Axis survey found that 82% of respondents already use security technology for security and incident prevention. Extending its use to add context to alarms and operational data can help teams assess developing issues, prioritise maintenance and determine when a site visit is needed. Remote visual checks can help operators make better use of scarce specialist skills, reduce the need for routine inspection rounds and schedule intervention before equipment deterioration leads to costly disruption.

Asked where earlier detection would deliver the greatest business benefit, 45% identify critical asset failures, including fire or overheating, followed by health and safety or process incidents (41%) and deteriorating equipment performance and maintenance needs (37%). These priorities highlight the practical value of recognising warning signs sooner, with visual context helping operators assess their significance and decide how to respond.

Key findings - In Focus: A spotlight on utilities by Axis:

• Intelligence and efficiency lead future expectations: 51% expect business intelligence and analytics (32%) or operational efficiency and productivity (19%) to deliver security technology’s greatest value over the next three to five years.
• Costs, skills and reliability shape operational priorities: 71% cite rising operational costs, 46% labour and skills shortages, and 40% maintaining business continuity and asset reliability among their biggest pressures.
• Earlier detection offers practical business value: 45% identify critical asset failures, 41% health and safety or process incidents, and 37% deteriorating equipment performance and maintenance needs as areas where earlier detection would deliver the greatest benefit.
• Integration provides a foundation for wider value: 43% say security technology data is fully integrated with operational systems and routinely informs real-time decisions.
• Remote monitoring presents a further opportunity: 32% report no consistent approach to monitoring remote or unmanned operational sites.

Andrea Monteleone, Segment Development Manager EMEA, Critical Infrastructure at Axis Communications, says: “Utilities already invest in security technology to protect essential infrastructure. Our research highlights expectations for that technology to contribute more broadly to business intelligence and operational efficiency. Visual intelligence adds context to operational data, helping organisations understand events, recognise patterns and make better-informed decisions. The opportunity is to build on the technology’s protection role and make insights useful across the business.”

Different sectors with distinct operational priorities

Axis research also identifies specific opportunities across the three segments:

• Energy and renewables – supporting maintenance decisions: 42% identify deteriorating equipment performance and maintenance needs as an area where earlier detection would deliver the greatest business benefit, compared with 36% in water and wastewater and 35% in oil and gas. The findings highlight the value of earlier insight into asset condition, with visual intelligence helping operators assess developing issues, prioritise maintenance and make better use of specialist resources.
• Water and wastewater – supporting intervention and accountability: 57% identify regulatory or compliance failures among the biggest threats to operational resilience, while 44% select health and safety or process incidents as an area where earlier detection would deliver the greatest business benefit. Visual context can help teams verify observable events, inform intervention and provide evidence for investigation.
• Oil and gas – strengthening asset reliability: 48% identify critical asset failures as a leading opportunity for earlier detection, the highest proportion across the three segments. Three quarters (75%) cite rising operational costs, while 36% report inconsistent monitoring across remote sites, highlighting the value of a more dependable operational picture.

Sarah Long, Key Account Manager – End Customers at Axis Communications, says: “The priorities differ across utilities. For energy operators, earlier insight into equipment deterioration can support maintenance decisions. In water, connecting information with timely intervention and evidence for investigation is particularly relevant, while oil and gas operators are focused on asset reliability. In each case, visual intelligence can complement existing operational systems by helping teams understand the circumstances around an event and decide what should happen next.”

The survey findings highlight the potential for visual intelligence to support security, engineering, maintenance and operations teams. By providing context around developing incidents and revealing recurring operational patterns, it can inform intervention, maintenance and planning, extending security technology’s value into business intelligence and operational efficiency alongside its established protection role.