Break-ins. Safety breaches. After-hours access. Slip-and-fall incidents.
For small businesses in Australia, the risks to people, property and compliance are real and rising. While traditional CCTV provides valuable footage after something has gone wrong, often businesses need to address issues and threats in real time.
Standard motion sensors and alarms can generate false positives and can’t always be relied on consistently. And if your business isn’t large enough to have a dedicated security team, reviewing hours of footage or responding to late-night alerts simply isn’t practical.
This is where AI threat detection comes in.
Using advanced video analytics, AI-enabled systems and surveillance cameras interpret activity while recording it. This technology recognises real threats in real time, from unauthorised access and perimeter breaches to staff safety risks like slips or falls. Most importantly, it sends instant alerts, so business owners can take immediate action.
Take a closer look at how AI threat detection works and why it’s a must-have for Australian small businesses in 2026.
What is AI threat detection?
When set up correctly, powerful and intelligent AI agents are designed to prevent stock loss and improve workplace safety. Utilising your own existing cameras placed at strategic vantage points, they see every corner of your business and alert you to risks, giving you faster and better control over factors like stock loss, safety and compliance.
Using AI video analytics, these systems can almost immediately identify threats like unauthorised access, loitering, perimeter breaches or even safety risks like falls or slips, without relying on someone watching a security video feed.
At Smokeshield Security, we recommend the AI suite of intelligent agents powered by our partners at Dragonfruit.ai. This platform is considered one of the most advanced AI visual monitoring suites in the world. It is trained on real retail environments, not generic datasets, ensuring higher accuracy for stock loss, fraud and safety scenarios.
You can request a free demonstration of AI threat detection here to help you get more information on this innovative solution.
Benefits of AI threat detection for Australian businesses
If you don’t have an in-house security team (and most businesses don’t), monitoring security camera footage, responding to incidents quickly or maintaining compliance reporting is a huge burden on people’s time.
Here’s how AI threat detection solves these challenges:
Faster alerts
AI doesn’t blink. If it detects movement after hours, someone entering a restricted zone or a staff member slipping on a wet floor, it sends real-time alerts to your nominated person within seconds. Faster responses mean less damage, less downtime and better outcomes.
Fewer false alarms
Traditional motion sensors can’t distinguish between a person and a possum. AI threat detection uses object recognition to filter out harmless activity, so your team only gets notified when it matters. That reduces alert fatigue and saves time.
Better incident evidence
When something does go wrong, having clear and accurate data helps. AI systems tag and time-stamp incidents automatically, making it easier to investigate and provide evidence to insurers or regulators.
Workplace safety and WHS support
According to Safe Work Australia, slips, trips and falls remain a leading cause of serious injury claims across sectors like hospitality, healthcare and warehousing, and they cost Australian businesses billions of dollars each year. AI video analytics can help detect hazards in real time and support your safety obligations by flagging near-misses or risky patterns early.
Photo credit: Safework Australia
Once installed, your ‘team’ of AI agents will oversee slips, trips and falls, spills and safety compliance, constantly monitoring and sending alerts.
Compliance without extra admin
Whether you’re managing staff safety protocols, site access or incident reporting, AI can support your compliance needs by automating documentation and improving consistency. That’s a win for operations managers and WHS leads working under pressure.
Easy installation and integration
Smokeshield Security’s AI loss detection and workplace safety products are designed to integrate with existing infrastructure, giving you a more practical and cost-effective upgrade. For small businesses in Australia, this means better protection using the cameras you already have and a small investment for potentially massive savings.
Cost effective
Patented split AI architecture focuses on edge-first AI processing. This slashes bandwidth and helps keep cloud computing costs under control.