AI in Home Security: Pete Ticali on Privacy, Preparedness, and Smarter Safety
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): A Further Inquiry
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2025/10/04
Part 2 of 2
Pete Ticali is the founder of NYSAFE Incorporated and certified NRA Refuse To Be A Victim instructor. In this 2-part interview with Scott Douglas Jacobsen, Ticali explains how AI has become embedded in smart cameras, doorbells, and locks, making advanced security accessible to everyday families. He warns of privacy risks, hacking vulnerabilities, and cloud storage concerns, emphasizing the importance of local backups and practical safeguards. Ticali also shares wisdom on personal security, stressing prevention, simplicity, and having a family plan to ensure survival in emergencies.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: Cameras are there for after the fact, as you were noting. Policies and laws, unfortunately, also tend to change after the fact—and often with even more delay than an individual case supported by camera footage as evidence in court. These changes can take a long time.
Pete Ticali: Absolutely. All laws are always going to be after the fact. We know the standards—murder is illegal, burglary is illegal, robbery is illegal, assault is illegal. Breaking into someone’s house is illegal. So why should we be taking away tools that help everyday citizens protect themselves? The other side of this discussion is AI. AI is getting better every day, but as long as the human brain isn’t perfect, there’s no way we can expect AI to be perfect either. When I worked with a major media organization on the Royal Wedding, for example, our recognition software initially thought the Queen of England was a man.
Jacobsen: With how much accuracy? What percent?
Ticali: We were looking at 50 to 60 percent accuracy, which at that time was considered a good day.
Jacobsen: I remember I showed my cat to one of those pet identifier tools. It was obviously a cat, but the system gave a 95 percent chance that it was a dog. They’re only as good as their training data. And the hidden cost, as you’re pointing out, is that much of this data relies on armies of low-paid human operators labeling content, especially visual content.
Ticali: Behind the scenes, many of the larger organizations are training their models on news media archives. Amazon, for example, and Google—Google in particular had a large partnership with The New York Times. They scanned the Times’ entire photo database, using the captions, metadata, and notes to train their computer vision models. Unfortunately, as a writer you know how unreliable newswire data can sometimes be. During the Royal Wedding, working with Sky News, we had to build a process where the newsroom would receive all the video, break it down into individual frames, and manually confirm “yes” or “no” before the clips could go out on their live feed. That was only five or six years ago, and it took a huge amount of human work to make the system reliable.
Jacobsen: What about the storage of data in the cloud from home security systems?
Ticali: That’s another major issue. First, you have to understand the rules: how your storage is being protected and who is handling it. Many of these companies don’t run their own storage infrastructure. Instead, they outsource it to Amazon, Google, Microsoft, or other mega cloud providers. Then you have to ask: how is the data encrypted? What happens if law enforcement issues a subpoena or information request? Beyond that, what if you lose connection? If your video system can’t connect to the cloud provider, your cameras become worthless because they have nowhere to store footage. That’s why some of the more advanced technologies allow for local storage on your property. For example, Blue Iris is a solid option—it stores data locally on a computer in your home and then sends a copy to the cloud. That way, you have a backup. It can also encrypt with your own passwords and encryption keys, so even if the cloud provider was subpoenaed, they couldn’t access your content without your keys.
Jacobsen: How advanced can an individual civilian make their own security?
Ticali: Compared to 10 years ago, I feel we now have access to systems that once were only available to government agencies. We’re seeing access controls and key fobs—companies like Ubiquiti now offer key fob-based, time-based electronic locks. We’re seeing tools like Blue Iris, a $69 software program that runs on a regular PC, with the ability to do AI-based video analysis. We also have Alexa routines that can schedule lights with variability, turning them on and off at different times. Amazon even discussed an Amazon Ring drone that could fly around your house—though I don’t believe that has come out yet. These were science fiction ideas 10 years ago, and now they’re part of everyday life. For example, I can have Alexa answer my doorbell, which freaks out the pizza delivery guy every time, but it works. My 70-year-old parents can answer their doorbell from hundreds of miles away, and it works flawlessly
Jacobsen: Last question—any favorite pieces of wisdom or quotes on security or home safety?
Ticali: I’ll give you one for both. First, security doesn’t work unless you turn it on. If a system is too complicated and makes life harder, people won’t use it. You can spend a billion dollars on technology, but if it’s overly complicated, it won’t be used and will only create a false sense of security. The simpler and more user-friendly a platform is, the more effective it will be. Second, when it comes to personal security, the most important thing is to have a plan. More than 50 percent of home invasions now happen in the middle of the day, when criminals assume people are at work. With more people working from home, the risks are shifting. If your family doesn’t know what to do when they hear someone in the kitchen, they may panic, act irrationally, or even put themselves in danger. We’re not police officers—we’re here to protect our families. So my advice is: when something goes wrong, have a plan. Test it, practice it. When an incident occurs, get your family to a safe place you can defend. Whether you rely on a firearm, a less-than-lethal weapon, or no weapon at all, don’t go clearing your house like you’re in the military. Protect your family, focus on them, and get them somewhere safe. Make sure they know this is serious. A master bedroom, for example, can be a defensible space where you can call the police, be a good witness, and, most importantly, stay alive. The number one goal is to survive. If they steal your television, so what? The only thing that matters is that your family is breathing at the end of it.
Jacobsen: Pete, thank you so much for your time and expertise. It was nice to meet you today.
Ticali: Great to meet you as well. Anything I can help with in the future, I’d love to assist.
Jacobsen: Excellent, I’m always available. Thank you, take care.
Ticali: Have a good day. Bye-bye.
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