For the first time in years yesterday I once again graced the doors of Birmingham’s Innovation Depot. This lovely startup incubation space was the venue for the 3rd “Breakfast Club” event I’ve attended hosted by local software development firm Daring Bit Assembly – this is a monthly “mixer” event where technology professionals meet to chat tech, business, investments, and more.

The team at DBA has been gracious to allow a speaker to present at each event I’ve attended so far – said speaker brings a business concept or tech topic to the floor for examination and discussion. Yesterday’s speaker and topic did not disappoint!

Laird showcased a product he’s been developing called WardenEyeOne, featured on the VisionCore website as “AI-Powered Surveillance engineered specifically for Correctional Facilities.”

WardenEyeOne is an “always-watching” AI surveillance system designed to ingest and monitor a large number of camera feeds across a facility. It proactively identifies life and safety threats in real-time and alerts security personnel as incidents unfold.

During yesterday’s demo, the system processed several high-risk scenarios—such as a prison altercation, a weapon being brandished, and an active shooter in a school setting. In each case, the AI rapidly interpreted the situation, generated a detailed, real-time text summary of the threat, and relayed it instantly to emergency response staff to support immediate action.

This product sets itself apart from others in a few unique ways – one that stood out to me is that it can run “on premises” and provides this AI locally to a facility without the need for a cloud connection to operate. Laird had one of these A.I. appliances on the stage during his demo – they don’t take up a lot of space and have significant capability without being super power or space hungry. The WardenEyeOne AI runs on consumer gaming GPUs making it accessible without significant hardware investment.

WardenEyeOne’s “Full Visual Comprehension” offers a glimpse into how AI will continue to reshape our world. Traditionally, object detection systems have relied on rigid, rules-based engines that require constant manual updates. In contrast, WardenEyeOne points toward a more adaptive, self-learning approach—capable of recognizing and responding to emerging threats in ways that legacy systems simply can’t.

Evaluated solely on its technical merits, the implications of systems like WardenEyeOne are profound. Laird presented ideas such as a traffic camera becoming “smart”—able to detect a collision and immediately alert EMS and law enforcement. That kind of real-time awareness will undoubtedly save lives. The same potential exists for school surveillance systems that can identify drug activity, or correctional facility cameras that detect abuse as it happens.

Of course, I do have concerns. As with any emerging technology, there’s the risk of misuse by bad actors. I’m sure we’re all familiar with 1984 and Brave New World – and the implications thereof. But I remain hopeful that solutions to the age-old question—“Who watches the watchers?”—are also on the horizon. If developed and deployed responsibly, systems like WardenEyeOne could lead to real gains in public safety, reduced crime, and meaningful improvements in quality of life. These are incredibly promising developments—if we get the balance right.

The “Breakfast Club” event was well-attended and the networking opportunities abundant. I’ll definitely be back for the next one! Huge appreciation to Daring Bit Assembly (DBA) for making this event happen and providing a delicious breakfast spread and coffee. Special thanks also to Matthew Jaeh, Managing Director of the Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator at Innovation Depot for furnishing the meeting space.

Photos courtesy of Josh Adams at DBA.