Will security supervisors be replaced by AI?
Updated
Security supervisors score 35 of 100 for AI exposure. The largest share of their task time, 62%, is work AI speeds up while they stay in charge. AI can take over 8% outright, and 30% stays with people.
- 8% AI can do it
- 62% AI helps
- 30% Needs a person
Moderate exposure
Lower than 54% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 21 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 2 of them today, speeds up 13 and leaves 6 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Write reports documenting observations made while on patrol. AI can draft patrol reports from notes; supervisor reviews. | 70% AI can do it |
| Order materials or supplies, such as keys, uniforms, and badges. Procurement tools can place supply orders; supervisor approves them. | 65% AI can do it |
| Monitor closed-circuit television cameras. Video analytics flag events; a person still verifies alerts. | 60% AI helps |
| Develop and document security procedures, policies, or standards. AI drafts policies and procedures; supervisor validates and approves. | 60% AI helps |
| Explain company policies and procedures to staff using oral or written communication. AI drafts policy explanations and notices; oral briefings stay human. | 55% AI helps |
| Write and present department budgets to upper management or other stakeholders. AI builds budget drafts and analysis; presenting and deciding stays human. | 55% AI helps |
| Assign security personnel to posts or patrols. Scheduling tools build rosters; supervisor adjusts for real conditions. | 50% AI helps |
| Log items distributed to persons, such as keys and key cards. Digital logs can be automated; physical handover of keys stays human. | 45% AI helps |
| Monitor the behavior of security employees to ensure adherence to quality standards, deadlines, or procedures. AI can analyze performance logs; supervisor judges quality and conduct. | 40% AI helps |
| Recruit, interview, and hire security personnel. AI screens resumes and drafts postings; interviews and hiring stay human. | 40% AI helps |
Show the other 11 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Schedule training or drills for emergencies, such as fires, bombs, and other threats. AI helps plan drill schedules; running drills is in person. | 40% AI helps |
| Advise employees in handling problems or resolving complaints from customers, tenants, detainees, or other persons. AI can draft complaint responses; advising people needs human judgement. | 35% AI helps |
| Train security personnel on protective procedures, first aid, fire safety, and other duties. AI drafts training content; hands-on first aid is taught in person. | 35% AI helps |
| Monitor and authorize entry of employees, visitors, or other persons. Access systems log entries, but in-person ID checks stay human. | 30% AI helps |
| Investigate disturbances on the premises, such as security alarms, altercations, and suspicious activity. Needs physical response and witness interviews; AI helps with records. | 22% AI helps |
| Call police or fire departments in cases of emergency, such as fire, bomb threats, and presence of unauthorized persons. Urgent emergency calls need live judgement and immediate action. | 10% Needs a person |
| Inspect and adjust security equipment to ensure it is operational or to detect evidence of tampering. Hands-on inspection and adjustment of physical equipment. | 8% Needs a person |
| Patrol the premises to prevent or detect intrusion, protect property, or preserve order. Physical walking patrol of grounds requires a person on foot. | 5% Needs a person |
| Screen individuals and belongings to prevent passage of prohibited materials using walkthrough detectors, wands, or bag searches. Wand and bag screening require physical, in-person inspection. | 5% Needs a person |
| Secure entrances and exits by locking doors and gates. Physically locking doors and gates requires hands-on presence. | 4% Needs a person |
| Apprehend or evict trespassers, rule violators, or other security threats from the premises. Removing trespassers is physical and carries legal risk. | 3% Needs a person |
How security supervisors compare
All occupations (923)
Protective service (26)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $55,940 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 81,480 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +3.7% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Review AI-drafted patrol reports before sign-off in Microsoft Word
- Approve supply orders for keys, uniforms, and badges in SAP
- Build guard rosters in employee scheduling software
- Present department budgets to upper management in PowerPoint
- Verify CCTV alerts before dispatching guards on site
Safer roles nearby
5 related occupations with lower scores.
Questions about security supervisors and AI
Will AI replace security supervisors?
Partly. About 3 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly writing patrol reports and ordering supplies. Supervisors still lead guards, handle emergencies on site, and answer for the decisions in each report.
Which security supervisor tasks is AI taking over?
Writing patrol reports has an exposure score of 70, and ordering materials such as keys, uniforms, and badges scores 65. AI drafts reports from guard notes and procurement tools place supply orders, so the supervisor now reviews and approves both.
Which security supervisor tasks stay human?
Apprehending trespassers, locking doors and gates, and screening people with wands all score between 3 and 5 on exposure. These tasks need hands-on presence and physical action at the site, so they stay with people, along with emergency calls to police, which score 10.
How can security supervisors stay valuable as AI spreads?
Check every AI-drafted patrol report and policy against guard logs before you approve it. Build guard rosters in scheduling software, track hours in time and attendance software, and defend budget figures in front of management. Keep briefing staff in person and leading emergency response on site.
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