The Tesla Test: How AI is Changing How We Search Video

In this episode of Secured, Mike Monsive sits down once again with Idan Koren, EVP of Marketing at Verkada, to discuss how artificial intelligence is transforming the landscape of physical security, operational efficiency, and the broader business of technology.

The conversation begins with Verkada's groundbreaking integration of natural language search in video surveillance — a feature Koren calls one of the most transformative innovations in usability. Instead of scrubbing through endless footage, users can now type queries like "white Tesla at 3 PM last Tuesday" and instantly retrieve relevant clips. Behind the scenes, AI drives not just convenience but optimization — from intelligent storage and detection to scalable processing on the edge and in the cloud.

Koren explains that AI at Verkada isn't limited to descriptive analytics. It's increasingly proactive — building toward agentic AI that can detect risks, initiate alerts, and even automate responses without human input. Yet with power comes responsibility. Koren emphasizes the company's firm stance on privacy, moderation, and accountability, ensuring that innovation doesn't cross into mass surveillance or misuse.

The episode also explores Verkada's internal evolution — how the company's software-first culture drives its AI development and sales models, leveraging data, automation, and software playbooks more common in Silicon Valley than in traditional security manufacturing.

As the discussion turns to the future, Koren touches on Verkada's path toward an eventual IPO, the company's rapid product expansion, and the lessons learned from scaling responsibly in an era where technology outpaces regulation.

At its core, this conversation captures a defining question for modern security: how do we harness AI's power for safety and efficiency without compromising trust?