Milestone Systems Acquires brighter AI to Advance Responsible Visual AI and Data Privacy
Addressing the Data Privacy Challenge in AI
One of the biggest obstacles in AI development is the availability of large-scale, high-quality, and privacy-compliant data. This is particularly critical in the case of video data, which frequently contains personally identifiable information (PII) such as faces and license plates.
brighter AI’s Deep Natural Anonymization solution offers a powerful answer. Using AI, it detects and replaces identifiers like faces with synthetic representations, ensuring GDPR compliance and enabling the ethical use of visual data for machine learning.
Benefits:
- Ensures regulatory compliance across industries
- Preserves the analytical value of video data while removing personal identifiers
- Unlocks video data for AI model training, testing, and sharing
- Enables organizations to use sensitive data without compromising privacy
Expanding Milestone’s Vision of Responsible Technology
The acquisition enhances Milestone’s leadership in Video Management Software (VMS) and Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS) by incorporating stronger data privacy and anonymization tools. These capabilities directly support Milestone’s Responsible Technology strategy, helping customers adopt AI solutions in a secure, ethical, and scalable way.
According to Milestone CEO Thomas Jensen:
“brighter AI is a perfect match for Milestone. Their top-notch anonymization technology enhances our offerings and strengthens our focus on responsible innovation. This partnership will benefit our technology partners, customers, and the entire ecosystem.”
Elevating Project Hafnia with Privacy-Centric AI
The acquisition is especially timely given Milestone’s recent launch of Project Hafnia—a next-generation toolset for AI model training that emphasizes data quality and compliance. brighter AI’s anonymization technology becomes a cornerstone of Project Hafnia, allowing high-quality video data to be used without exposing sensitive identities.
Together, these technologies aim to:
- Simplify access to regulatory-compliant training data
- Facilitate real-world model training without compromising privacy
- Promote collaborative, ethical AI development across Europe and beyond
A European Alliance for Global Impact
Milestone and brighter AI’s union marks a significant milestone for European technology leadership. By bringing together two companies with aligned values and strong R&D roots, the deal showcases how Europe can lead the global AI landscape responsibly.
Why It Matters:
- Strengthens Europe’s position in privacy-first AI and video analytics
- Reinforces GDPR-compliant innovation as a global benchmark
- Offers a scalable model for ethical AI development across sectors
- Sets an example for privacy-by-design in AI product development
According to Marian Gläser, CEO and Co-Founder of brighter AI:
“Joining Milestone Systems marks an exciting new chapter—together, we can scale our mission globally. Our anonymization solution is now at the core of redefining how AI is trained using compliant, high-quality video data.”
Company Background and Impact
Founded in 2017 by Marian and Patrick Kern, brighter AI serves multiple industries including automotive, retail, and public safety. Recognized by Nvidia as “Europe’s Hottest AI Startup“, brighter AI’s Deep Natural Anonymization tech is widely regarded as a best-in-class tool for privacy-preserving visual data usage.
The company currently employs 24 team members, who will continue their mission as a distinct business unit within Milestone, ensuring continuity, innovation, and close collaboration
The acquisition of brighter AI by Milestone Systems is more than a business deal—it’s a strategic alignment focused on privacy, responsibility, and innovation. By embedding anonymization technology at the core of its video analytics ecosystem, Milestone is not only safeguarding individual rights but also unlocking new potential for compliant AI development.
