Expert views on integrating robots, drones, cameras, and AI into critical infrastructure protection and national security: an opportunity for sustainable entrepreneurship

Abstract

This study examines the perspective of 130 Czech experts regarding the adoption and impacts of four AI-driven security technologies – ground robots, drones, AI-equipped cameras and sensors, and integrated systems – for safeguarding critical infrastructure and advancing national security. The experts, drawn from academia, government, and private industry, completed a structured questionnaire capturing demographic factors such as gender, educational background, and employment sector. Analyses revealed that male respondents consistently expressed stronger approval of all technologies, whereas female experts conveyed more reserved or critical evaluations. A binary logistic regression further indicated that male respondents were nearly five times more likely to foresee improvements in resilience resulting from these automated solutions. Moreover, educational background proved influential: those with technical or engineering credentials were over eight times more inclined than their natural-science counterparts to anticipate substantial infrastructure benefits. Sectoral and contextual patterns emerged as well. The private sector displayed the highest enthusiasm for AI-enhanced security, whereas public-sector participants adopted a more measured approach. Across the board, experts expressed reservations about pervasive surveillance in ordinary public environments – particularly concerning facial recognition and drone overflight – however, they demonstrated markedly stronger support for their use in strategic or high-risk contexts, including border patrol, energy facilities, and particularly military premises or conflict zones. Female respondents rated critical infrastructure protection devices such as cameras, sensors, and drones, as well as ground robots and other surveillance equipment, as more appropriate than male respondents. Gender and education field were statistically significant variables for assessing whether introducing advanced automated security systems leads to an increase or a decrease in the resilience of critical infrastructure. Male respondents here see an increase, while respondents with a secondary educational level keep odds approximately twice higher than those with tertiary educational level that it will lead to an increase. These findings suggest that successful integration of advanced security automation hinges on aligning the optimism of technologically adept stakeholders with the caution evident among certain demographic groups, while also accounting for heightened public expectations of effective threat mitigation in critical and military settings.