AI turns old CCTVs into smart, low-cost business tools

Solink’s platform adds intelligence to legacy cameras to boost operations.

Artificial intelligence is breathing new life into old CCTV systems, turning them into powerful business intelligence tools without the need for expensive hardware upgrades.

At the QSR Media UK Redcat Conference & Awards 2025 in London in June, Rob Ward, international account executive at Solink Corp., said many businesses across the UK and Europe still rely on legacy cameras installed over a decade ago.

“A lot of you here today are probably still using very old cameras that you’ve had for 10, 15, or 20 years, and they’re still doing a good job,” he said. “The old tech is actually great, and what we can do… is integrate it with your existing tech and add more intelligence to it.”

Rather than replacing entire systems, the Canadian company’s platform uses artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse both live and recorded video alongside point-of-sale (POS) data in real time.

“When people are talking about budget and capex (capital expenditure)… companies like us can now actually deliver some of the exciting AI stuff, helping with operational efficiencies without actually breaking the bank,” Ward said.

He added that the system goes far beyond traditional surveillance. It can track customer dwell time, queue length, speed of service, and table turnover.

“It’s quite easy now to measure. How long does it take someone to order a cup of coffee?” he asked. “Is it 45 seconds on average? Is it longer? Is it less? If you can sell one more cup every hour, you're going to see a massive rise in profits—especially at scale.”

One standout feature is people counting. By placing digital markers at entry points, the system tracks foot traffic and calculates conversion rates. It can also alert managers when stock levels drop.

“For instance, if the bakery section, such as the area with croissants, falls below 75% capacity during a specific time period, the system can send a notification to the store manager to prompt staff to restock,” Ward said.

Solink also integrates transaction data to simplify security and performance reviews. In one demo, Ward showed how a manager could filter 10,000 daily transactions down to just 14 by searching for a specific type, like “void,” and setting a custom threshold.

“For an operator—or your team—that means with just three clicks, you can drill down from thousands of transactions to only the ones that matter,” he said. “Thanks to the integration between your existing CCTV and point-of-sale system, the video and transaction data are synced and displayed together seamlessly."

The system supports centralised control across multiple branches and provides role-based access for managers and compliance officers. All of this is done whilst staying compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation rules.

Importantly, new cameras are not needed. Solink sends a small hardware device to each site, which connects existing CCTV and POS systems to the cloud.

“You basically have a box that gets deployed on site… and the team behind the scenes will connect the cameras and POS systems,” Ward said. “Technology is here, AI is here. And the fact that we’re able to integrate with the existing hardware should make life a lot easier.”