Buyer FAQ
Do I Need New Cameras for AI Loss Prevention?
By De Flow AI Team
$0
new hardware in most stores
ONVIF
standard most cameras support
Days
to connect, not months
Edge
processing keeps costs low
The Short Answer: Almost Never
The single biggest myth in retail AI is that you need to rip out your CCTV and install special cameras. Modern loss-prevention AI is camera-agnostic overlay software: it taps the video stream from the cameras you already own and adds an intelligence layer on top. Your hardware investment is protected.
If your cameras speak ONVIF or RTSP — which the vast majority of IP cameras do — AI can analyze their feeds. No rewiring, no rip-and-replace, no forklift upgrade.
📐 When Camera Position Matters More Than Camera Brand
What actually matters isn't the brand — it's the angle and coverage. A few placement realities to check before deployment:
⬇️
SCO Lanes
Overhead views of the scanner and bagging area work best.
🚪
Entrances/Exits
Clear, unobstructed views of doorways for traffic and exit detection.
💡
Lighting
Consistent lighting beats high resolution for detection accuracy.
🧮 Why Edge Processing Protects Your Budget
Streaming every camera to the cloud breaks the economics fast. Camera-agnostic platforms process video on the edge — inside the store — so only lightweight events and clips travel out. That's how AI runs across hundreds of cameras without exploding your bandwidth bill.
Keep your cameras. Add the intelligence.
We'll review your camera fleet and confirm compatibility for free.
Check Compatibility →
