Cisco wrapped up the 2025 edition of its annual marquee event “WebexOne,” showcasing AI-powered enhancements to the Webex platform across collaboration, contact center, and devices. This year greater emphasis was placed on Cisco’s AI strategy with the enhancements cast as enablers of the strategy encompassing three pillars: “Intentional AI,” “Connected Intelligence,” and “Open Ecosystems,” according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
Gregg Willsky, Principal Analyst, Enterprise Technology & Services at GlobalData, comments: “Cisco is leaving it to competitors to simply stockpile capabilities onto their platforms with little or no rationale as to why. With the most clearly articulated AI strategy and vision in the market, Cisco is differentiating itself.”
“Intentional AI” is grounded in three connected layers: AI at the Edge, AI in the Cloud, and AI in Control (embedding trust, governance, and security at scale).
“Connected Intelligence” involves work getting done with a mixture of humans and AI agents.
The “Open Ecosystems” pillar reflects interoperability between Cisco Webex and enterprise applications such as Salesforce as well as other platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom Workplace.
Willsky continues: “With ‘Intentional AI’, Cisco seeks to employ a cohesive approach rather than offer a mélange of tools, fragmented strategies, and siloed data as some rivals do. ‘Connected Intelligence’ reflects the workplace of the future where simultaneously workers collaborate with each other, workers collaborate with AI agents, and AI agents themselves collaborate. ‘Open Ecosystems’ have become a hot topic with the rise of AI. Every company has accumulated a critical mass of AI-powered features and continues to expand it. It is recognized that no one is going to claim the spoils of victory so best to play together in the sandbox. If you cannot beat them join them.”
Taking a step back from the “bells and whistles” and viewing the announcements within a broader context yields one final thought.
Willsky concludes: “Cisco is seeking to separate itself from the pack by touting AI innovations across its entire portfolio whether software or hardware. Coupled with long-standing expertise in collaboration, networking, and security Cisco enjoys a unique competitive position.”
