Milestone Systems Acquires Brighter AI Adding State-of-the Art Anonymization Technology To Company Line-up

Milestone Systems is pleased to announce the acquisition of brighter AI, effective April 1, 2025.

The Berlin-based technology company, brighter AI, provides anonymization solutions for video data based on state-of-the-art deep learning technology to protect people’s identities in public.

The advances of artificial intelligence raise concerns around data privacy across the world. One of the biggest challenges in developing AI solutions is finding and accessing sufficient data that can be used. Without data, there are no AI models to train, which are essential for existing AI technologies such as ChatGPT and Copilot. This challenge is particularly significant in video data, where it is even more difficult to find data that does not contain sensitive personal information. The solution lies within regulatory-compliant data and this is exactly what brighter AI’s anonymization technology brings.

The acquisition of brighter AI also opens up a range of new opportunities with anonymization capabilities and privacy enhancement, which protects data and enables full data privacy. The addition of brighter AI significantly strengthens Milestone’s offerings for video management software, video surveillance as a service and video analytics and fuels the company’s ongoing growth journey in and beyond security. Additionally, brighter AI’s anonymization technology serves as a cornerstone of the recently announced data library and AI model training tool Project Hafnia.

Strengthening European competitiveness
The privacy-by-design tool developed by brighter AI further solidifies Milestone’s position as a leading Responsible Technology company. Combining two European tech leaders with a focus on taking a responsible approach to AI development will be a significant contribution to making Europe the leader in the global AI and tech landscape. It is a testament to European innovation and strengthens the continent’s competitiveness whilst protecting individual citizen’s privacy.

“brighter AI is a perfect match for Milestone. Their proven technology is top-notch and will give us a wider offering to existing and future technology partners and customers. The anonymization tool for video technology will also enhance our focus on responsible technology. Even more important, our two company cultures are highly compatible. Having known brighter AI for a while, as we have an established collaboration on Project Hafnia, I have complete faith that this will be a great benefit for all. I am indeed very pleased to welcome our new colleagues to Milestone,” says Thomas Jensen.

Founded in 2017 by Marian and Patrick Kern, brighter AI serves companies across various sectors and is the leading anonymization solution for video data based on artificial intelligence. For the solution Deep Natural Anonymization, which automatically detects a personal identifier such as a face and generates a synthetic replacement, brighter AI was named “Europe’s Hottest AI Startup” by Nvidia.

“brighter AI was founded with the mission to make visual data usable in a privacy-preserving way. Joining Milestone Systems marks an exciting new chapter—together, we can scale that mission to a global level out of Europe. Milestone’s leadership in responsible video technology and their vision with Project Hafnia align perfectly with our own values. We’re proud that our anonymization solutions will become a core pillar of a platform that’s set to redefine how compliant, high-quality video data is used to train AI. We’re ready to shape the future of visual AI—secure, ethical, and transformative.” Marian Gläser says.

Milestone Systems is acquiring brighter AI and are thereby significantly contributing to strengthening European competition power and innovation. Europe must be leading in setting the right standards for global responsible technology. By combining two European tech leaders with a dedicated focus on responsible AI development, Milestone contributes to making Europe a leader in the global AI and tech landscape.

brighter AI employs 24 people. who will continue their great work as part of a separate business area within Milestone.

About Milestone Systems

Milestone Systems is a world leader in data-driven video technology used in industries as diverse as manufacturing, airports, law enforcement, retail, and traffic management. We provide a clear picture of how to create a safer, better and more prosperous world. Our XProtect video management software, BriefCam AI-powered analytics, and Arcules cloud VSaaS help customers learn from the past, understand the present, and predict the future. Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Copenhagen, Milestone employs more than 1,500 people worldwide and has been an independent company in the Canon Group since 2014. Visit milestonesys.com for more information.

About brighter AI

brighter AI is a leading provider of AI-powered anonymization technology for image and video data, enabling privacy-compliant analytics and machine learning across industries. Its award-winning solutions—Precision Blur and Deep Natural Anonymization (DNAT)—effectively redact faces and license plates while preserving data utility. brighter AI supports global organizations in complying with privacy regulations such as GDPR, CCPA, APPI, and PIPL, making it possible to use publicly recorded camera data without compromising individual privacy. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Berlin, brighter AI is trusted by leading enterprises worldwide. In 2024, the company was honored with the AI-Start-Up-Preis 2024 for its contributions to responsible AI and data privacy innovation. Visit brighter.ai for more information.

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