ORLANDO — Law enforcement investigators have access to more information than ever before, but finding connections across that information remains a challenge. Records management systems, license plate readers, digital forensics tools, open-source intelligence and other technologies often operate independently, forcing analysts to move between applications to piece together an investigation.
At IACP 2026, Cognyte demonstrated NEXYTE, a decision intelligence platform designed to bring those disparate information sources together, allowing investigators and analysts to search, analyze and connect data through a single interface.
“All agencies face a deluge of information, and it’s often siloed and disconnected,” said Brian Gilkey, VP of sales for Cognyte. “The problem we solve is consolidating that information and giving analysts and investigators a faster way to address their investigative challenges.”
NEXYTE is designed to connect the systems agencies already use, allowing investigators to work across multiple information sources without repeatedly switching applications.
Connecting information across investigative systems
Gilkey described NEXYTE as a centralized environment for intelligence analysis, built around an open architecture that allows agencies to incorporate information from existing technologies.
An investigator might otherwise need to access 10 or more applications to search records, review digital evidence, examine license plate reader information and identify connections among people, locations and events.
NEXYTE brings those sources into a common interface, where information can be searched, correlated and analyzed.
“Traditionally, an analyst or investigator might log into 10 to 12 different applications,” Gilkey said. “That’s time-consuming, and it slows the process down at every level.”
The platform can incorporate information from records management systems, computer-aided dispatch, license plate readers, digital forensic extractions, open-source intelligence and other data sources available to an agency.
Its open architecture is intended to allow departments to retain their existing technology investments while expanding their ability to use the information those systems collect.
“Some vendors are good at video. Some are good at audio, open-source intelligence or license plate recognition,” Gilkey said. “What we’re focused on is bringing those different sources together into an all-source intelligence platform.”
That approach can support a range of investigations, from violent crime and organized criminal activity to financial crimes involving cryptocurrency and other complex transactions.
How it works: From an initial lead to connected intelligence
During a demonstration at IACP, Gilkey walked Police1 through a sample investigation showing how NEXYTE can help analysts move from an initial piece of information to a more detailed picture of a potential suspect’s activities and associations.
The process began with a search involving an individual connected to a traffic stop.
Rather than returning only a list of matching records, NEXYTE presented a dashboard organizing information associated with the individual, including documents, media, geographic information and other available intelligence.
The platform can identify entities — such as people, places, devices and organizations — and the attributes associated with them. Those relationships can then be displayed through link analysis, helping investigators visualize connections that might otherwise require extensive manual review.
Gilkey demonstrated how an analyst could move from the initial search results into documents associated with the investigation, examine potential connections and generate a summary of the findings.
The system also supports information extraction from documents, including optical character recognition and translation, making previously unstructured material searchable alongside other investigative records.
In the demonstration, NEXYTE surfaced an international alert associated with a person of interest, illustrating how information from connected sources can appear within an investigator’s existing workflow.
The platform can also incorporate digital forensic information extracted from mobile devices. Rather than requiring an analyst to manually review large volumes of messages, media and other records, NEXYTE organizes relevant information and makes it available for further analysis.
Gilkey demonstrated how the platform could connect information from a mobile device extraction with open-source intelligence, communications data and geographic information to help narrow the focus of an investigation.
The demonstration ultimately moved from a broad collection of information to a more specific individual of interest, using connections among communications, locations and other available records.
The scenario illustrated how investigators can move between search results, link analysis, mapping and reporting without assembling each component manually in separate applications.
AI-assisted analysis with source attribution
Artificial intelligence plays a role in helping NEXYTE process and analyze large volumes of information.
The platform includes an AI copilot that allows investigators to ask questions using natural language rather than relying exclusively on structured search commands.
For example, an analyst examining a phone number or communications identifier can ask the system to summarize related information, identify connections or examine activity associated with a particular time frame.
During the demonstration, Gilkey used the copilot to examine information associated with a communications identifier, generating a summary and geographic analysis of relevant activity.
The platform can also support transcription, translation, object detection and the analysis of information extracted from digital devices.
Gilkey emphasized that AI-assisted findings must remain traceable to their underlying sources, particularly when intelligence may influence operational decisions.
“You cannot deploy any type of AI without it being attributable,” he said. “Attribution of where that information came from is the number one thing.”
He explained that Cognyte’s AI models operate within the platform rather than independently accessing the open internet. He also emphasized the importance of allowing investigators to verify the information used to generate analytical results.
For agencies evaluating AI-powered investigative solutions, that ability to examine the source material is essential to determining whether an analytical finding can support further investigative action.
Turning analysis into investigative reports
Another capability demonstrated at IACP was the ability to convert investigative findings into a summary report.
After reviewing connected information through NEXYTE’s search, mapping and link-analysis tools, an investigator can generate a report that organizes relevant findings into a format suitable for further review.
Gilkey described this as a significant opportunity to reduce the manual work involved in assembling investigative information from multiple applications.
Instead of separately collecting screenshots, extracting records and preparing summaries, analysts can use the platform to organize their findings and then review and edit the resulting report.
“This is a big force multiplier for analysts and investigators,” Gilkey said.
The goal is not to replace investigative judgment, but to reduce the time required to locate, connect and organize information so personnel can focus on evaluating its significance.
Building on existing technology investments
For agencies considering NEXYTE, one of the primary considerations is how the platform connects with systems and data sources already in use.
Gilkey emphasized that Cognyte’s approach is based on open architecture, allowing agencies to bring together information from multiple technologies rather than requiring them to adopt a single vendor’s investigative ecosystem.
That flexibility can be particularly relevant for departments that have invested in records systems, digital forensics platforms, license plate readers and other technologies over time.
The value of the platform depends on the information sources an agency connects and the investigative workflows it wants to support. Agencies evaluating NEXYTE would need to consider their existing data sources, integration requirements, access permissions and policies governing the use of investigative information.
For Gilkey, the central challenge is helping investigators make sense of the growing volume of information already available to them. “The mountain of data that exists right now is only going to get bigger,” he said.
Learn more about NEXYTE.
