AI update AUCSO: Association of University Chief Security Officers Conference 2025
📍University of Warwick
📆 9 April 2025
AI in Security: From Hype to Hands-On Reality
By Andrew Tollinton, Chair, AI in Risk Management, ISRM | CEO, SIRV
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a concept confined to research labs or science fiction, it’s rapidly transforming the way security and resilience teams operate. At the Association of University Chief Security Officers Conference 2025, Andrew Tollinton of SIRV explored how AI is redefining situational awareness, decision-making, and incident management across the sector.
Understanding the Landscape
Today’s AI sits firmly in the narrow intelligence category—designed for specific tasks rather than general human reasoning. From early breakthroughs like IBM’s Deep Blue and AlphaGo to modern large language models, AI’s evolution has shifted from isolated experiments to embedded operational tools.
Risk and Responsibility
As AI becomes integral to operations, questions of governance, ethics, and surveillance are front and centre. Security professionals must navigate issues of data privacy, intellectual property, and verification. The line between legitimate monitoring and intrusive surveillance is blurrin, amplified by wearable devices and smart systems that record, analyse, and predict behaviour in real time.
From Insight to Action
AI’s true promise lies not only in its ability to describe and predict but also to prescribe, turning data into informed action. Purpose-built AI agents, like SIRV’s Cal, are emerging to help organisations automate routine analysis, flag anomalies, and guide teams through critical decisions safely and transparently.
A Call for Responsible Adoption
AI’s impact on risk and resilience depends on how widely and wisely it’s adopted. The goal isn’t to replace human judgement, but to enhance it with clarity, consistency, and speed. For security leaders, the challenge is no longer whether to use AI—but how to use it responsibly.
"SIRV helped us move beyond basic reporting into a system that actively supports decision-making". Les O'Gorman, Director of Facilities, UCB - Pharma and Life Sciences
