2025 Access Control Predictions: AI, the Cloud and Mobile Credential Applications to Expand
Originally published by Campus Safety
By Robin Hattersley | December 24, 2024
The increased adoption of AI, the cloud, and mobile credentials are just some of the trends practitioners, consultants, and product manufacturers expect to see in 2025.
Effective and efficient physical access control isn’t just a hot technology trend. It’s a security essential for any school, institution of higher education, or hospital. And, according to Campus Safety’s recent exclusive research, educational and healthcare facilities are stepping up their acquisition of advanced access control systems.
Nearly seven out of ten respondents to the 2023 Campus Safety Access Control and Lockdown Survey had implemented card and/or biometric access control technologies over the past two years. CS’ 2024 survey found that there has also been a significant increase in organizations that now use access control software: 51% in 2024 compared to 42% in 2022. More than one in five (26%) now use smart card access systems.
Considering so much is being invested by schools, colleges, and hospitals in physical access control, protection professionals must keep on top of what’s currently being used, what works, and what’s on the horizon.
To delve deeper into what trends the campus security community is experiencing and should expect to see in 2025, practitioners, consultants, and solutions providers shared their insights.
Access Control’s Integration with Other Technologies Continue to Accelerate
For years now, the campus public safety and security community has seen the growing convergence of physical security systems with IT and the integration of access control with other systems, such as video surveillance, cybersecurity tools, intrusion detection, identity management, and facility management systems. According to security consultant Michael Cruz, this convergence is expanding further and enabling more holistic approaches to security management.
“By connecting physical access control systems with IT networks, organizations can more easily identify vulnerabilities, optimize workflows, and gain real-time insights into how spaces are being used,” he says.
Paul Timm, who is Allegion’s director of education safety agrees, adding that the integration of access control with broader communication systems is becoming increasingly important.
“This includes discreet communication with administrators and integration with general mass notification systems to help ensure comprehensive and coordinated responses during emergencies,” Timm says.
According to Genetec Executive Education Lead Bruce A. Canal, many colleges and universities have adopted single-card identification solutions that have multiple functions.
“Students use one card to not only unlock their dorms but also as a picture ID, access to labs and classrooms, and payment for food and other items,” he says. “This is a significant step forward from having physical keys or multiple cards to manage.”
Simplicity and cost-effectiveness are key factors that schools, universities, and hospitals are embracing. However, ease of use shouldn’t be conflated with the adoption of outdated, less secure technologies.
Michael Fellows who is with Georgia Institute of Technology’s Campus Services department believes that in 2025 campuses are going to see a continued migration from more traditional forms of access control — such as mechanical keys and mag stripe technology — towards more advanced solutions.
“There is a significant push for higher security chips, particularly for those in the mobile credential arenas,” she says. “Students, especially incoming freshman, are increasingly expecting institutions to be mobile-first, if not mobile-only. This shift is driven by the demand for convenience and the seamless integration of technology into everyday campus life.”
Mobile Credentials Making Significant Headway
Widener University Associate Vice President of Student and Campus Services Anthony Pluretti says the No. 1 trend he is seeing across the higher education access control market is not only mobile credentials, but Near Field Communications (NFC) in mobile wallets.
“Not only do students carry their phones everywhere, but most are using a passcode or facial ID, which provides dual-factor authentication to an existing access control system,” he says.
The advantages of mobile credentials are many, including convenience, lower physical card management costs, and offering features like remote unlocking capabilities, says Cruz.
“They can also be integrated into broader mobile apps that serve as digital workspaces, combining access control with other employee services, like meeting room booking or visitor management,” he says.
Security is another advantage. Traditional keys can be lost, stolen, or copied, whereas mobile credentials are tied to a user’s smartphone, which usually has multiple layers of security, such as multi-factor authentication.
Additionally, physical access credentials can be placed on the smartphones of first responders so police, fire and EMS personnel can quickly enter a campus and/or a door to a classroom or office during an emergency. Mobile credentials have the potential to not only speed up response time to a crisis by first responders, but also reduce the damage caused by law enforcement officers when they are forced to use breaching tools to enter a building because they don’t have a key or other type of access card that enables them to enter the facility.
Canal also believes the shift from physical cards to mobile credentials will accelerate.
“This trend also simplifies credentials administration by allowing security teams to issue, update, or revoke access remotely, reducing the logistical challenges associated with physical cards,” he adds. “This shift not only reduces administrative burdens but also aligns with campus safety policies by offering a secure, digital solution that can be easily managed with a unified security platform.”
Fellow’s, Pluretti’s, Canal’s, and Cruz’s observations of increased demand for mobile credentials are confirmed by Campus Safety’s own research, which found that 55% of campuses have either recently purchased NFC/BLE mobile phone access control and are considering adding more in the next two years or haven’t recently made a purchase but are considering doing so in the next two years.
However, Napco Security Technologies Assistant Marketing Manager Matthew Finn offers a word of caution about Bluetooth (BLE).
“The adoption of BLE credentials in the industry has been significant so far, but many users and manufacturers have observed that BLE can drain a smartphone’s battery more quickly than an NFC token,” he says. “As a result, there has been a strong focus on developing NFC tokens over the past year, and they have the potential to become the standard in the near future.”
Combining Biometrics and Mobile Credentials Bolsters Access Control System Security
Another key trend is the adoption of biometric technologies, such as systems that use fingerprints, facial recognition, or iris scans to confirm identification of a user. Cruz believes biometric enhancements to mobile credentials will gain in popularity.
“In addition to using smartphones as digital keys, biometric data will be more widely integrated into mobile access apps to add an extra layer of security,” he says. “This form of multi-factor authentication will help ensure that even if a smartphone is lost or stolen, unauthorized access will remain difficult. The combination of biometrics with mobile credentials will make access both secure and frictionless, providing a streamlined experience that prioritizes user safety.”
Both Fellows and Pluretti say their organizations are considering the adoption of biometrics. Georgia Tech may adopt this technology to control physical access to certain locations on campus so students and staff don’t need to carry a card or smartphone with them.
“[Biometrics] can be leveraged in places like athletic locker rooms where students are not bringing any form of credential with them to the field, but the space needs to remain secured,” says Fellows. “Implementing a biometric solution gives the players convenient access to this facility while maintaining appropriate security.”
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Will Play a Bigger Role
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (MI) have been buzzwords in the security technology industry for several years now, and Cruz believes AI and MI will play a larger role in access control in 2025, enabling systems to identify unusual patterns and detect anomalies in real time.
The benefits of AI are many. It reduces human error, as well as streamlines and automates monotonous tasks—all while improving security.
“It amazes me that we still rely on door-held and door-forced alarms to alert us when something seems off, leaving it up to an operator to determine whether an action is normal” says Cruz. “Machine learning could provide real insights into what constitutes typical behavior versus anomalies, making security management more proactive and efficient.”
“Another scenario where machine learning can make a significant impact is in detecting and responding to tailgating incidents [where someone follows an authorized person into a building without swiping a badge],” he adds. “Currently, such incidents might only be noticed by attentive security personnel reviewing camera footage or by a vigilant employee. However, with machine learning, cameras can be trained to recognize when an individual enters a secured area without authenticating themselves and track their movements throughout the building.”
Hybrid Cloud Systems Gaining in Popularity
The benefits of the cloud are numerous, including remote management, continuously updated software, physical space savings, better cybersecurity, cost savings, and more.
Canal says many campuses are adopting hybrid cloud models to simplify upgrades and benefit from the continuous delivery of innovations and product enhancements.
“Hybrid cloud systems allow institutions to modernize at their own pace, adding cloud-based functions as needed and retaining existing on-premises hardware where appropriate,” he says. “This flexible approach also enables scalability. Schools can expand and tailor their security deployments as their campuses grow without major infrastructure changes. New or remote sites may be best suited for cloud solutions, while on-premises systems are used where direct control is essential.”
Finn concurs, noting the reduced IT workload needed when a campus embraces the cloud.
“Many IT departments are increasingly seeking to alleviate the burdens associated with managing and maintaining security servers as they often entail significant overhead costs and potential liabilities. This shift reflects a broader desire for streamlined operations and enhanced security management in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.”
Access Control Is Getting Better, But…
Although today’s physical access control systems are light years ahead of what was unveiled even five years ago, challenges remain.
Fellows believes software interfaces, integrations, and out-of-the box automations could be significantly improved.
“Most access control software on the market focuses on the communication between the lock and the software, but there is much more to consider in this environment,” she says. “I would like to see more agility from access control software to provide a better user experience. We need more software capabilities for automated access provisioning that can adapt to our complex environment. Current solutions are often clunky, very manual, and time-consuming. Improved software functionality would greatly enhance efficiency and ease of use.”
Pluretti believes most campuses need to adopt more secure credentials.
“Many universities are still utilizing prox cards because they’re cheap and compatible with most things, but they’re a compromised technology,” he says. “It’s critical for institutions to challenge their security integrators to help them remain on the cutting edge of proven technology enhancements.”
Good Guidance and Policies Can Help
Fortunately, there is guidance available that can assist schools in their product evaluation and installation processes. ASSA ABLOY K-12 National Security Program Manager and former Campus Safety Director of the Year Guy Grace recommends K-12 schools review and consider adopting the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) recommendations.
“PASS promotes a ‘tiered approach,’” says Grace. “In this context this means a system where schools can implement security measures at different levels, progressing from basic foundational practices (Tier 1) to more advanced security measures (higher tiers) based on their specific needs and available resources, allowing them to tailor their safety plan to their unique risk level and gradually enhance security over time.”
Grace also stresses the need for all technologies to be supported by appropriate policies.
“Access control should be integrated into a comprehensive layered security strategy, including other measures like district policy, human roles and processes, architecture, communications, video management systems, communication systems, alarm and detection systems, and enhanced technologies,” he says.
Cruz believes the demand for privacy-preserving access control solutions is also likely to grow in 2025.
“With data privacy regulations continuing to tighten across the globe, access control providers will need to ensure their systems are compliant,” he says. “Privacy-preserving technologies, such as biometric templates that cannot be reverse-engineered or solutions that anonymize data, will become increasingly essential.”
Fellows encourages organizations to consider their policies for compliance and the operational procedures necessary to support the technologies they adopt.
“Before embarking on any implementation, one must ask: Are we ready and able to support students when they forget their credentials? How are we going to support general maintenance and/or battery replacements? How will the access permissions be granted promptly when a student checks into a new room or when a professor is assigned to a new classroom? How are we going to financially support these operations in the long term?” she asks.
“Proper planning and understanding of these aspects are essential for the successful deployment and management of access control technologies.”
Communication Company of South Bend is a systems integrator providing access control solutions for healthcare, education, commercial industrial, government, and entertainment applications. Visit our dedicated access control page or contact us today to find the right safety and security solution for your facility.
