A concise, investigative tour of how security video evolved from passive cctv to intelligent, searchable footage powered by local ai and video-language models. I maps the technical lineage-motion sensing, smart detections, face and plate id, the “AI Key,” and scene-level vlm search-and explain why pattern discovery at scale is the next operational leap for site security and investigations.

“video that used to be passive now becomes a searchable narrative.”

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tl;dr

security cameras have graduated from passive recorders to active, searchable sensors. video-language models (vlms) and local llm-like agents enable natural-language scene search and condensed pattern visualisations-powerful for investigations but constrained today by compute and edge deployment. the next frontier is real-time, site-wide pattern detection running at the edge.

timestamps

00:00 | introduction and context

00:23 | the evolution: cctv → motion → smart detections

01:56 | face detection, license plates, and granular id

02:19 | the “ai key”: local llm-style analytics (what it adds)

03:35 | video-language models: frame description → search

05:03 | practical investigative tools and scene search examples

06:03 | pattern discovery: briefcam and condensed timelines

07:40 | limitations today: compute, edge, and the next step

09:56 | closing thoughts and what’s next