This guide is for owners and managers of shops, restaurants, clinics, warehouses and petrol pumps in Pune and elsewhere in India. One section near the end describes how GIZMO's AI Camera Watchman approaches the job.
What "AI CCTV" actually means
An ordinary CCTV system has one job: record. The footage sits on a recorder, and someone looks at it after a loss, a dispute or a complaint. By then the moment has passed. You are reading history.
AI CCTV adds software that looks at the video as it arrives. It does three jobs that a recorder cannot do.
- Watch. The software looks at every camera all day and night. It recognises people, vehicles and other objects in the picture, and can tell a person from a shadow or a passing cat. Software does not tire or look away.
- Decide. A rule turns what it sees into a judgement: "a person at the back door after closing time" is a problem, "a person at the counter at noon" is not. The rules come from you, and they depend on the hour, the place and the situation.
- Alert. When a rule is broken, the system sends a message to your phone with a photo and a short clip, so you can decide in seconds whether to act, call someone or ignore it.
The five things shops lose to unwatched cameras
Most losses are not dramatic. They are small gaps that repeat, and a recorder shows them only if you go looking.
Someone enters after hours. The shutter is down, the lights are off and the staff have gone home. If someone gets in at 2 a.m., an ordinary system records it faithfully and you find out when you open in the morning. An AI system with an after-hours rule messages you the moment a person appears at the entry.
The counter is unattended. The customer waits, the staff member has stepped into the back, and the shelf behind the counter is in reach of anyone. You want to know how often it happens and for how long.
The cash drawer is left open. An open drawer with nobody at the till is an invitation. A camera that can see the till area can raise an alert when the drawer is open and no staff member is present.
Crowding or loitering. A queue that builds at the billing counter sends customers away. A person who stays near the shelves or the entrance for a long time without buying is worth a second look.
Staff are away from their post. The cashier is not at the cashier's desk. The guard is not at the gate.
Existing cameras or new ones?
There are two ways to get AI CCTV. You can run the software on cameras you already own, or you can buy a complete package of new cameras, a processing box, installation and maintenance. Neither is better in every case.
| Question | Software on existing cameras | Full installation with new cameras |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront spend | Lower. You keep the cameras you paid for. | Higher in total, but usually spread as a yearly fee. |
| Picture quality | Limited by your old cameras. Blurred, badly placed or dirty cameras give poor results. | Cameras chosen and placed for the job. |
| Compatibility | Most standard CCTV connects, but you need to confirm it before paying. | Not an issue, because the parts are chosen together. |
| Speed to start | Quick if the cameras are in good condition. | Longer, because of site work and cabling. |
| Best when | Your cameras are recent, cover the right places and are mostly working. | Your system is old or failing, or you are starting from nothing. |
A practical rule: if your cameras show a blurred or badly angled picture, adding AI will not help. Ask the vendor to look at a live view from each camera and say which are unsuitable.
Where the video goes: on-site or cloud
AI CCTV needs a computer to analyse the video. That computer is either on your premises or in a remote data centre. This choice matters more for Indian shops than the brochures suggest.
- Bandwidth. A single camera produces a large, continuous stream of video. Sending several streams to the cloud, all day, needs a good upload connection. Many shops have broadband that is fine for browsing and weak for uploads. On-site processing sends only a message, which is tiny.
- Privacy. Your video shows your customers, your staff, your till and your stock. With on-site processing, the footage stays in your building. With cloud processing, it is stored by someone else under their terms. Ask where it is kept and who can see it.
- Outages. Broadband in many places drops for minutes or hours, and power flickers. A cloud system that loses its connection stops analysing, which is the moment a break-in is most likely to go unnoticed. An on-site system keeps working and sends the alerts once the link is back.
Whichever you choose, ask the vendor to say in one sentence where your footage is stored, and then ask them to put it in writing.
What it costs in Pune
The table shows the two ways GIZMO prices its AI Camera, next to the usual alternative of paying a person to watch at night. The GIZMO figures are the ones published on our AI Camera page. Both plans run on a 3-year term, are paid yearly in advance and exclude GST.
| Option | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| GIZMO Software, on your existing cameras | From ₹2.7 per camera per day | Up to 10 cameras at ₹10,000 a year flat, then ₹999 per extra camera per year. One-time onboarding of ₹25,000. |
| GIZMO Complete | ₹4,999 per camera per year, minimum 10 cameras | Cameras, the GIZMO box, installation and maintenance. Hardware failures replaced during the term. A refundable deposit applies. |
| Traditional night guard, Pune | ₹15,000+ per month (market rate) | One pair of eyes, one shift |
Compare the units carefully. The guard is a monthly cost covering one shift. The camera plans are yearly and cover every watched camera, day and night. They do different jobs.
The site survey is free. Cabling is quoted per camera at the survey, so the final figure for your site depends on what you have and what you need. Typical go-live is 2 to 4 weeks from the survey.
Which setup suits which business
These are starting points, not fixed packages. A site survey settles the real number of cameras and the first pack to switch on. GIZMO Complete starts at 10 cameras, so a very small shop may suit the Software plan better.
| Business | What to watch | Cameras, typically | First pack to switch on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kirana or retail shop | Entrance and shutter after closing, the counter, the cash area, the stock room | A handful: entrance, counter, aisles, back store | After-hours entry |
| Restaurant or cafe | The kitchen door and back entrance after closing, the billing counter, queues at peak hours, the cash drawer | Several: front, counter, kitchen entry, back door | After-hours entry, then queue building |
| Clinic | Reception, the entrance after hours, the pharmacy or store area | A few: entrance, reception, store | After-hours entry |
| Warehouse or factory | Gates, loading bays, vehicle arrivals, fire and smoke, restricted areas after shifts | Many, often more than 10 | Vehicle arrived, fire and smoke |
| Petrol pump | Forecourt, cash counter, vehicles at night, fire and smoke | Several to many, outdoors and indoors | Fire and smoke, then after-hours entry |
What to check before you buy
Use this list with any vendor, including us. Write down the answers.
- Does it work on your existing DVR or NVR and cameras? Ask for a survey of your actual equipment, not a general yes.
- Is the analysis done on site? Ask where the video is stored and where the AI runs.
- Which alert channels work today? WhatsApp and Telegram are the ones most owners will read. Ask which are live and which are planned.
- Does every alert carry evidence? A photo and a short clip let you judge from the phone without opening a recorder.
- Can it arm and disarm itself by opening hours? If you must press a button every night, it will be forgotten.
- Is there a daily summary? A short morning report of yesterday saves you from checking each camera.
- Who can change the rules, and is each change logged? You should be able to see who switched something off, and when.
- What happens when the internet drops? Detection should continue, and alerts should follow when the link returns.
A vendor who answers each point clearly is easier to trust than one who says the system is fully automatic. Watch also for alert fatigue: if the system sends too many false alerts, people stop reading them. Ask how you mark an alert as wrong.
How GIZMO's AI Camera Watchman approaches it
GIZMO AI Camera Watchman is made by GIZMOIOT INNOVATIONS LLP in Pune. It turns CCTV into a watchman that tells you when something needs you. It works with your existing CCTV where compatible.
- Watch packs. Ready bundles per business, including after-hours entry, queue building, fire and smoke, vehicle arrived and bag left behind. You switch them on one at a time.
- Rules in plain language. You write what you want, such as "tell me if anyone comes in after 10 pm", and it confirms before it starts watching.
- Alerts. WhatsApp and Telegram alerts from day one, each with a photo and clip, plus a morning summary.
- On-site processing. Video is processed and stored on your premises. Only alerts and reports reach your phone, and the AI keeps working through outages.
- Accountability. Every mode change and edit is logged, so you see who changed what, and when.
- Staff recognition is limited. It covers enrolled staff only, with consent, on the device. Strangers are never identified.
The free site survey comes first, and we will tell you honestly what your site needs.
FAQ
How much does AI CCTV cost for a shop in Pune?
GIZMO AI Camera Software, for sites that already have compatible cameras, starts from ₹2.7 per camera per day, which is ₹10,000 a year flat for up to 10 cameras plus a one-time onboarding fee of ₹25,000. GIZMO Complete, with cameras, the GIZMO box, installation and maintenance, is ₹4,999 per camera per year with a minimum of 10 cameras. Both plans are on a 3-year term and GST is extra.
Does AI CCTV work with my existing CCTV cameras?
Often yes. Most standard CCTV connects as it is, and GIZMO confirms this at a free site survey. Pricing adjusts when existing cameras are reused.
What happens to AI CCTV when the internet goes down?
With on-site processing, the analysis keeps running through an outage. In GIZMO's case the AI runs on your premises, and basic broadband is enough for sending alerts.
Does my video leave the premises?
It depends on the system, so ask. With GIZMO AI Camera, video is processed and stored on your premises, and only alerts and reports reach your phone.
How do AI cameras send alerts?
GIZMO sends alerts to WhatsApp or Telegram from day one, with a photo and a clip as evidence, plus a morning summary of the previous day. Whichever product you consider, ask which channels work today and which are only planned.
What is the minimum number of cameras?
GIZMO Complete has a minimum of 10 cameras. The Software plan is priced as a flat yearly amount for up to 10 cameras, with each extra camera charged separately, so a smaller site can discuss it at the survey.
How long does it take to go live?
After a free site survey, a typical go-live is 2 to 4 weeks. The first alert comes about 15 minutes after switch-on.
Which businesses is AI CCTV suited to?
Any owner who cannot be everywhere. GIZMO AI Camera is used for shops and showrooms, restaurants and cafes, hotels, ice-cream and QSR outlets, factories and warehouses, petrol pumps, gaming and pool parlours, and gyms and clinics.
Next step
The simplest next step is a free site survey. We look at your cameras, tell you what will work and give you a quote for your site. Read the AI Camera page, or send an enquiry through the contact page.
Want a free site survey for your shop or restaurant?
Book a free site survey or call +91 78880 03666