VOLT AI discusses physical security, data privacy and future of company

WASHINGTON, D.C. — With rising crime rates, artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to enhance enterprise security, and in the case of VOLT AI, it’s a force multiplier. 

Founded in 2019, VOLT AI is a cloud-based AI security platform that analyzes camera streams to protect people and property from a variety of threats. 

Security Systems News had the chance to speak with cofounder and CTO Dmitry Sokolowski to discuss the company’s platform and future, as well as its larger goal of “advancing AI for social good.” 

SSN: Tell me more about the VOLT AI platform. How is it improving physical security and what are its best use cases? 

Sokolowski: While use cases can be applied to various facilities and applications - from government entities and police departments to manufacturing and office buildings - one of the most impactful is school systems.  

For any setting, but particularly schools, it is impossible to have staff constantly monitoring cameras or always knowing when a situation requires immediate attention. And plus, you don’t want your School Resource Officer behind a monitor; you want them out monitoring the vicinity and connecting with students and faculty.  

This is where advanced technology steps in to fill the gaps. By providing validated time-of-incident alerts and insights, our system acts as many extra sets of eyes, ensuring that potential issues are flagged instantly so staff can focus on taking action when and where it’s needed most. This approach helps create a safer environment without adding strain to already stretched resources. 

SSN: Could you tell me about how VOLT handles data privacy? 

Sokolowski: We take privacy very seriously and understand the importance of addressing privacy concerns while staying compliant with regulations. The systems we design prioritize user anonymity and minimize data collection, only using the relevant data transmitted to the cloud for further analysis. 

At its core, VOLT is designed to be privacy-aware. VOLT prioritizes data privacy by leveraging robust encryption and strict protocols. Video data is primarily processed and stored locally at customer sites, ensuring minimal cloud reliance. Cloud integration occurs only when necessary, such as during incidents and transmits only relevant data for analysis.  

VOLT's technology emphasizes data minimization, with non-incident data purged hourly and no biometric data collected. Additionally, compliance with SOC 2 and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework ensures adherence to stringent privacy standards.  

This approach balances operational effectiveness with a strong commitment to ethical and secure data handling practices. 

SSN: What about your product sets you apart from your competitors? 

Sokolowski: It’s inspiring to see how many solutions are on the market today working to improve physical safety in our communities. The shared goal of advancing AI for social good drives all of us in this space to continuously push the boundaries of what’s possible. 

VOLT stands out from competitors by offering a unified, real-time video intelligence solution that integrates with existing systems. Unlike other tools that focus on individual camera analytics, VOLT unifies camera feeds into a single contextual engine, what we call a Digital Twin of the environment. This allows us to perform dynamic 3D mapping and real-time geolocation tracking within the environment.  

Our system eliminates false positives through our human-in-the-loop validation process, providing actionable alerts within seconds of an incident. Our scalable architecture efficiently supports environments ranging from small businesses to large urban campuses. And we offer the broadest incident coverage in the market, addressing use cases that include weapon detection, fighting, loitering, medical emergencies, crowd forming and more. 

Our greatest differentiation is our commitment to addressing everyday risks, not just rare, catastrophic events.  

SSN: What kind of features would you like to see or develop for VOLT AI in the future? 

Sokolowski: The future of VOLT AI gets us very excited. Being in business for more than five years and landing a $12 million Series A round, we’re set up to have some big years ahead.  

We imagine a future where VOLT AI evolves into a comprehensive security platform capable of detecting both physical and cybersecurity threats in schools. Building on our advanced AI-driven video intelligence, VOLT could integrate with digital network monitoring tools to identify unusual patterns, such as unauthorized access attempts or suspicious data transfers, alongside physical risks like weapons detection and unauthorized entry.  

This dual capability would allow schools to protect both their physical environments and their digital ecosystems, ensuring student safety in a connected world.