Today’s technological environment seems to change daily. It seems that there can be more news on artificial intelligence (A.I.) each day before we’ve had a chance to digest yesterday’s news. I also see a lot of news on robot developments at home and at work. Recently, I watched a video of robots racing in a marathon (three of the robots won!) and robots getting a cover of skin to look more like a human. How will this affect us in the electrical and fire alarm field?

Typically, technological changes have transformed the nature of your work. I can remember when we thought transitioning from relay-based fire alarm control units to solid-state versions was going to be a difficult issue for our technicians to deal with. This change was quickly followed by fire alarm control units that needed programming to work as specified. With each change you had time to assimilate the change and change how you trained your technicians to perform the correct installation of these new systems. Some of the changes you had to implement included changes in the logistics of system installations, such as adding weeks to the installation to accommodate programming changes that always seem to happen at the final acceptance tests. Those who did not address this issue know that your building will not get its certificate of occupancy on time until the programming and final tests of system operation are completed.

For the fire alarm industry, these disruptions were not considered a major issue and most companies adapted quickly to them.

However, A.I. is different. I do not believe that A.I. will totally replace your technicians, nor do I see robot technicians entering the marketplace anytime soon. But A.I. may change the fire alarm controls that will generate a need for a more skilled technician. There were well-known companies that didn’t respond to technological shifts and are no longer in business—Blackberry and Blockbuster come to mind. Blackberry failed to see the importance of moving from keyboard operation to smartphones and touchscreens. Blockbuster underestimated the impact of streaming platforms. The reason I believe you should pay attention to the changing digital environment is the speed with which A.I. is changing. Cybersecurity is taking on a whole new meaning. The 2025 National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code already has developed a Chapter 11 on cybersecurity. The 2028 edition will contain more cybersecurity requirements. But the code always lags behind new technology.

Currently NFPA 72-2025 requires the system installer to provide the name and contact information of the system owner or their representative to the equipment manufacturer at the time of system acceptance testing. However, if you wish to become a trusted advisor to the client, it would make sense for you to be the point of contact with the manufacturer. If you manage the software changes to prevent cybersecurity issues for your client, they will be glad you are assisting them and willing to pay you to “watch over” their systems. Your periodic testing takes on a whole new meaning. In my opinion, these technological changes will force you to provide maintenance contracts for all these systems.

The annex for Section 11.8.3 of NFPA 72-2025 states the following: “As security vulnerabilities are discovered, existing systems could be affected. It is important for manufacturers to provide solutions when vulnerabilities are discovered. Likewise, it is important to carefully manage the update and patch management infrastructure to ensure that corrections are available, have not been modified or spoofed, and are applied successfully.” Put yourself into this equation and you will indeed become the owner’s trusted advisor.

You will need to assist your clients through this changing technological environment, but you must also become more aware of the issues surrounding fire alarm systems. Programming a fire alarm control unit may become more difficult, but the product life cycle will also change. The continuous changes will require the contractor to understand the broader systems surrounding these new and more complex systems. Increasingly, these changes in innovation will involve building ecosystems rather than standalone products, integrating hardware, software, cloud platforms and data analytics into cohesive systems.

The ability to understand A.I.’s effect on the fire alarm systems business before the competition will obviously put you in a better position to serve your clients with the constantly changing digital environment.

However, to become the leader, you will need to double down on changing the skill set of your technicians and providing this training in a more specialized way. You undoubtedly have technicians that currently understand how to program a fire alarm control unit. Start with these technicians and provide continuous professional development. As the fire alarm systems become more connected and intelligent, your technicians will need to expand their competencies beyond the traditional electrical domains to include digital technologies, cybersecurity and sustainable considerations.

Are you ready for the A.I. challenges?