Milestone boosts XProtect with new app platform, AI tools

Milestone Systems has unveiled a new application platform for its XProtect video management software and a redesigned analytics engine for BriefCam, positioning its core products for a more AI-driven security and operations market.

The updates focus on the XProtect App Platform, which adds a container-based way to deploy applications alongside existing XProtect installations, and a new BriefCam engine that Milestone says improves real-time processing and overall efficiency. The company is also expanding tools for third-party developers through an updated app marketplace and a new developer portal.

Video security teams and operational users are dealing with rising volumes of camera and sensor data. The emphasis has shifted from collecting footage to extracting information for investigations, risk management and business operations. At the same time, many organisations remain cautious about frequent software changes due to the risk of downtime and the complexity of integrating new functions into live systems.

App Platform

The XProtect App Platform is a new component designed to run additional applications within an XProtect environment. It uses a Linux-based architecture and deploys applications as separate containers alongside an existing XProtect system.

Under this model, each application and service runs independently of the core video management software and of other applications. Milestone says this separation lets customers install applications and apply updates without a full system restart or disruption to live operations.

The platform is intended to support a broad range of add-ons commonly deployed with video management, including analytics and access control integrations. It also targets solution developers who build and distribute applications across large numbers of customer environments, where version management and consistent deployment can add operational overhead.

Milestone positions the platform as a way to extend existing systems rather than replace them, running alongside current XProtect installations without changing how the underlying system operates.

BriefCam Engine

Alongside the application platform, Milestone has redesigned the BriefCam analytics engine. The company says the new engine improves real-time processing, scalability and workflow efficiency.

Milestone says users will see a 38% improvement in real-time throughput, which it links to better resource utilisation. It also says all processing can run on-premise with no cloud dependency-an approach likely to appeal to organisations with sovereignty, compliance or connectivity constraints.

The updated engine adds features focused on investigation and review workflows. Milestone says investigators can turn witness statements into searches using plain language rather than filters. It also says the system can identify key moments to reduce review time and connect fragmented video into a coherent narrative.

BriefCam now also supports custom categorisations, which Milestone says let organisations train the system based on their own requirements and terminology. This kind of tailoring is often sought by operators working across different sites and environments, where definitions for events, behaviours and objects can vary.

Ecosystem Tools

Milestone is also emphasising distribution and developer tooling around the new platform. The XProtect App Platform runs applications from the Milestone App Centre, which lists applications developed by Milestone and its technology partners.

The company describes the App Centre as a catalogue of verified applications that extend XProtect, and as a way for customers to browse, test and install software while limiting risk to live operations.

For developers and technology partners, Milestone is launching a Milestone Developer Portal. The portal consolidates resources for building applications on the open platform, from initial concept through development and release. Milestone says the portal will be generally available by the end of 2026.

Market Context

The announcements come as video management and analytics suppliers compete to modernise deployment models and reduce the operational burden of upgrades. Container-based approaches are common across software markets, but adoption in physical security has been uneven due to legacy infrastructure, long refresh cycles, and the critical nature of many deployments.

Milestone's emphasis on on-premises processing also reflects continued demand for local control over sensitive footage and metadata, particularly among public-sector users, critical infrastructure operators, and regulated industries. At the same time, the company is highlighting generative AI readiness, an increasingly common theme across surveillance, investigation and operational intelligence products.

Andrew Burnett, Chief Technology Officer at Milestone Systems, said:

"The rapid growth of AI in video security has created an urgent need for platforms that can keep pace. Together with our partners and customers, we are cocreating the next generation of our technology on our open platform foundation. The XProtect App Platform and the new BriefCam engine are two major steps forward - giving organizations the flexibility to adapt quickly and confidently, as well as powerful on-premise intelligence that doesn't compromise data sovereignty or operational control."

The XProtect App Platform and the new BriefCam engine are now available to early access customers, with general availability planned for late 2026.