Q&A with Haim Shain, SVP Product Management, Vicon
A global leader in security technology, Vicon delivers advanced security solutions for enterprises, government, and critical infrastructure. NEXT by Vicon is an AI-driven, modular security camera that installs in minutes, delivers real-time facial recognition, and adapts to any security need with hot-swappable components. Built with Paravision Face Recognition, NEXT transforms access control, surveillance, and investigations—making security faster, smarter, and more reliable than ever.
Can you introduce Vicon and its role in the security industry?
Vicon builds the tools that help organizations protect what matters—from schools and hospitals to airports and city infrastructure. We’ve been in the industry for over five decades, and today we focus on intelligent security technology that goes beyond surveillance—combining the latest in AI, industrial design and open architecture to deliver faster deployments, better insights and real results.
Our mission is simple: make security more intelligent, more intuitive and more effective for the people who depend on it every day.
What inspired the development of NEXT?
We listened. Integrators and end users told us the job was getting harder. Install times were too long, systems weren’t flexible, and more complexity kept stacking up. So we stepped back and asked ourselves: what if we started from scratch? NEXT was built to simplify the whole process. It’s modular, installs in minutes, and has AI built right in. It’s not just about better video—it’s about helping teams move faster, work smarter, and deliver better outcomes.
What trends are shaping the future of AI-powered security?
The biggest shift in security that I see right now is that it’s no longer just about building walls or drawing lines in the sand—it’s about making spaces smarter, safer, and more seamless. We’re moving away from the idea of security as a barrier and toward systems that integrate intelligence into everyday operations.
Modern systems aren’t just capturing footage; they’re interpreting it. NEXT can now detect unusual behavior, flag potential threats, and trigger deterrents automatically. For example, if someone is loitering outside a hospital entrance at night, an AI-enabled system can trigger lights or a voice prompt, preventing a situation before it becomes a problem. It’s proactive, not reactive.
Facial authentication is a perfect example of this shift. It replaces physical barriers with identity verification that’s fast, secure and frictionless for the user.
At a school or corporate campus, authorized individuals can walk in without stopping, while the system quietly does its job in the background. That means fewer lines, less frustration, and tighter security.
We see facial recognition evolving into a flexible tool that adapts to each organization’s needs. Some
use it for access control. Others use it for investigations to find specific
individuals faster.
What’s important is giving customers control—letting them expand or limit it based on their policies and preferences.
In short, the future of security isn’t about putting up more fences or drawing more lines. It’s about building systems that understand context, respond in real time, and help people move through the world more safely and without friction.
How does Vicon approach privacy & consent in deploying facial recognition?
Facial recognition is fully opt-in in our systems. Some customers use it for access control, others for investigations, and some don’t use it at all. We work with our customers to make sure the tech supports their policies—not the other way around. Privacy and trust have to be built in from the start, not bolted on later.
What made Paravision the right partner in developing NEXT?
We wanted a partner who really understood what it takes to deploy this technology responsibly. Paravision’s approach to privacy, performance, and collaboration made them the right fit. They didn’t just hand us an SDK; they worked with us every step of the way to make sure the integration was rock-solid and aligned with our standards.
Partnering with Paravision has made a real difference. We’ve seen better accuracy in tough environments and significantly faster performance. More importantly, it gives our customers confidence that the AI is doing its job—and doing it right. That’s what matters most.
Haim Shain is SVP of Product at Vicon Industries, leading tech strategy and business transformation in security and surveillance. A seasoned executive and industry thought leader, he holds multiple patents spanning access control, camera systems, and machine learning. He’s founded startups and driven innovation in Smart Cities and Intelligent Buildings.