Cisco wrapped up the 2025 edition of Cisco WebexOne, its annual marquee event, which showcased Cisco’s approach to AI, with AI-powered enhancements to the Webex platform across collaboration, contact center, and associated devices.
This year placed greater emphasis than usual on Cisco’s AI strategy and vision with the announced capabilities cast in a supporting role as enablers of the strategy and vision.
Gregg Willsky, Principal Analyst for Enterprise Technology and Services at GlobalData says: “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.”
Cisco’s approach to AI
Cisco’s approach to AI rests on three key pillars: Intentional AI, Connected Intelligence, and Open Ecosystem.
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. 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). ‘AI Canvas with Collaboration’ is one announced capability that supports all three layers of Intentional AI. When the capability becomes generally available (GA) in Q3 2026, IT administrators in charge of collaboration environments will be able to proactively diagnose and resolve network, video, and call-quality issues.
Connected Intelligence involves humans and AI agents getting work done, improving how people connect with each other, how they interact with AI, and how AI agents themselves collaborate. In support of Connected Intelligence, Cisco revealed a quintet of AI agents with availability dates spanning from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026. They include Meeting Scheduler, Notetaker, Polling Agent, Task Agent, and Receptionist for Webex Calling.
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By GlobalDataInteroperability – a hot topic
The Open Ecosystem pillar reflects announced interoperability between Cisco Webex and enterprise applications such as Salesforce as well as other platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom Workplace. With the advent of AI, interoperability has become a hot topic.
Willsky states: “AI has become the common denominator across rivals’ platforms. Every player 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 can’t beat them, join them.”
Willsky concludes: “Taking a step back from the ‘bells and whistles’ and viewing the announcements within a broader context yields one final thought. 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.”
