ATLANTA — Thousands of security professionals from nearly 100 countries are gathering in downtown Atlanta this week for the 71st Global Security Exchange.

The convention is expected to cover topics including major event security, workplace violence, school safety, cyberattacks, investigations, artificial intelligence and emerging threats.

Don Aviv, the CEO of security firm Interfor International, says AI guidelines need to be completed globally.

“We’re very early into AI, and we’re very early into this discussion,” he said. “I think there is a tremendous number of unknown far greater than the known.”

An interactive School Security Zone was also set up similar to a classroom. Companies showed security products ranging from physical building entries and AI-enhanced facial recognition and video search to biometric features designed to protect users’ privacy.

Aviv added that AI needs to be approached from a global perspective.

“This cannot be done by just any one nation,” Aviv said.

ASIS International is also featuring its School Security Standard, approved by the American National Standards Institute. As a community giveback to Georgia, this year’s GSX host state, the standard is being offered at no cost to Georgia K–12 schools to help them assess and improve their safety.

The standard is being provided to schools for free to help them assess and improve their safety, regardless of their size or funding.