Uc Today - Out Loud

Join UC Today’s Kieran Devlin as he sits down with Brad Hintze, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, and Joel Mulpeter, Senior Director of Product Marketing at Crestron. While the tech industry is understandably captivated by cloud-based software like Copilot and Zoom AI Companion, this insightful conversation shifts the focus to the physical foundation that makes these tools actually work. If you want to understand why true AI scalability requires robust, purpose-built hardware and edge computing, this session is an absolute must-watch for IT and AV leaders.In this engaging discussion, the Crestron team unpacks the reality of deploying AI across enterprise meeting spaces. They reveal why prioritizing purpose-built compute and intelligent audio over IP is the secret to avoiding the "garbage in, garbage out" trap of AI transcription and collaboration tools.Key takeaways from our conversation include:The Shift to Edge AI: Why relying solely on the cloud is inefficient, and how integrating Neu

Join UC Today host Kieran Devlin as he sits down with William Rubio, Chief Revenue Officer at CallTower, and Elka Popova, Vice President and Senior Fellow at Frost & Sullivan. As AI features rapidly light up across communications platforms, internal IT governance models are struggling to keep pace. This insightful session dives into the hidden vulnerabilities of "shadow AI" and the messy reality of multi-vendor environments. If you're looking for a practical approach to standardizing policy, monitoring data usage, and holding vendors accountable without suffocating innovation, this conversation is essential viewing.The rush to implement AI in Unified Communications (UC) and Contact Center (CCaaS) platforms is outpacing IT's ability to safely secure it. When different teams own different parts of a fragmented tech stack, compliance risks multiply, and traditional governance breaks down. William and Elka break down the real-world friction of enterprise AI adoption and share practical str

In the first episode of the UC Today AI & Productivity Show, Marcus Law hosts a roundtable on what AI productivity looks like in the real world — what’s delivering value today, what’s still not landing, and what leaders should focus on next.Marcus is joined by Tom Arbuthnot (Founder, Empowering.Cloud & Microsoft MVP), Mark Nixon (AI Business Solutions Go-To-Market Lead, Microsoft UK & Ireland), and Andreas Welsch (Founder & Chief AI Strategist, Intelligence Briefing).The discussion covers:

In this UC Today interview, host Christopher Carey speaks with Loopio CEO Zak Hemraj about Loopio’s latest industry report on the impact of generative AI on the workforce - and one headline stands out: over 80% of teams are now using AI in their workflows, with more than half using it daily. Zak also highlights a surprise trend - financial services and banking, often viewed as cautious adopters, are among the most aggressive in embracing AI, driven in some cases by top-down executive mandates and structured governance.The conversation explores why “capacity” has become the top challenge even as AI reduces time spent writing, how productivity gains can be offset by rising demand, what separates top performers in how they apply AI beyond first drafts, and what comes next as enterprises push toward agentic AI - alongside growing security and risk concerns. 

Kristian McCann speaks with Ryan Holmes, Digital Workspace Solution Architect at New Era Technology, about how 3D visualization is helping enterprises plan AV refreshes with far more confidence than traditional 2D drawings.Traditional 2D plans can look polished on paper, but they often miss the messy reality of how people actually use meeting rooms. Ryan explains how New Era Technology’s immersive 3D approach helps teams test room layouts, device placement, acoustics, lighting, and camera coverage before a single cable is installed.Points of discussion include:See why 2D drawings can hide real-world issues like poor sight lines, weak mic pickup, and glare.Learn how immersive 3D and virtual reality make AV designs feel like a true-to-scale room clone.Discover how the platform helps IT, facilities, contractors, and users work from the same visual reference.Hear how visual-first planning can improve room adoption, reduce redesigns, and boost meeting quality.If you are planning an AV refresh and want to get it ri

Despite billions being spent on AI tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot and Google Workspace, most employees still aren't ready to use them effectively: and it's becoming a productivity problem.In this interview, JP Gownder, VP and Principal Analyst at Forrester, breaks down the findings from Forrester's second AIQ report: "AIQ 2.0: Employees (Still) Aren't Ready To Succeed With Workforce AI."JP explains what AIQ, the AI Quotient, actually measures, why the numbers have barely moved year-on-year, and why the gap between AI deployment and employee readiness is actively hurting organisations rather than just slowing them down.Key topics covered:

Hybrid work has become the default — and that means the devices, meeting rooms, and collaboration platforms we rely on have to “just work,” every time, for everyone.In this UC Today Devices & Workspace Tech Roundtable, host Christopher Carey (UC Today) is joined by industry leaders to unpack what’s changing across workplace technology: the rise of AI-powered meeting experiences, how IT teams can scale room management, what “employee experience = customer experience” really means, and why security and identity will matter even more as AI agents enter the workplace.Topics covered include:- Designing spaces and workflows for “always hybrid”- AI in meeting rooms (today’s reality vs. near-future expectations)- Room reliability, observability, and user experience- Managing devices and collaboration at scale- Trust, identity, and security risks (including AI-generated threats)Watch for practical insights on what workplace and IT leaders should prioritize next.

Kristian McCann sits down with Dima Gutzeit, Founder and CEO of LeapXpert, to explore how enterprises can finally bridge the gap between conversation and execution. As businesses juggle countless communication channels, from Teams and Slack to WhatsApp and iMessage, Dima unpacks why so much valuable insight gets lost and how connecting conversations directly to workflows can redefine enterprise performance.Modern enterprises are awash with communication data—but most of it never gets used. In this conversation, Dima explains how organizations can extract real value by breaking silos, connecting insights to action, and embedding execution directly within messaging channels.Key discussion points:Why enterprise communication data often sits unused — and the hidden risks of “shadow IT.”How connecting messaging channels closes the gap between decision and execution.The impact of losing context when workflows live outside communication platforms.LeapXpert’s new productivity innovations: Signals, Maxen, and Communic

In this insightful session, UC Today Host Kieran Devlin sits down with Will Morey, Managing Director of Channel at Gamma, to unpack the hidden costs of treating migration as a routine task. If you're an MSP or reseller feeling the strain of balancing new business with the heavy lifting of legacy tech upgrades, this conversation is a must-watch. Will breaks down the commercial risks of inaction and reveals how a managed service model can safeguard your profitability while keeping your customers happy.Managing migrations in-house might seem cost-effective, but the reality is often a messy, resource-draining distraction from your core business. Will explains why relying solely on your existing team to navigate complex, multi-vendor environments is a dangerous trap - and how partnering with experts can completely change the game. Key Takeaways From This Episode Include:The Hidden Cost of DIY Migrations: Why pulling your engineers off daily support and new logo acquisition to handle the PSTN switch-off is a m

Join Kieran Devlin, Host at UC Today, alongside an elite panel of unified communications experts and analysts—Mel Brue, Irwin Lazar, Evan Kirstel, Zeus Kerravala, Jon Arnold, and Craig Durr. The enterprise tech landscape is shifting faster than ever, and in this episode, we unpack exactly what that means for your business. From the identity crisis facing major tech conferences to the rise of autonomous AI agents driving real revenue, this candid debrief cuts through the hype to deliver the insights you need to stay ahead of the curve.Here’s what we cover in this jam-packed session: 

In this UC Today interview, Christopher Carey speaks with Don McElligott, VP of Compliance Supervision at Global Relay, about how organisations are rethinking supervision in a multi‑channel, AI‑enabled world.The discussion explores why legacy keyword‑based approaches are struggling, how understanding context and intent changes risk detection, and why archives are evolving from passive storage into active governance platforms. Don also shares practical insight into review fatigue, platform‑based compliance, and what UC and compliance leaders should prioritise over the next 12 months.Topics covered include:Managing communications risk across modern UC environmentsMoving beyond false positives to catch real riskThe role of AI in compliance and supervisionArchive‑to‑platform thinking and governanceReducing review fatigue and improving oversight

Many people are being asked to make big career decisions with very little real insight into the jobs they are choosing. At the same time, employers are struggling to fill high‑growth roles, and education systems are under pressure to modernise career guidance.Christopher Carey speaks with Bharani Rajakumar, Founder at Transfr, and John Iaia, Global Head of Strategic Alliances for XR and Vision AI at Lenovo, about how immersive learning and VR career “test‑drives” can help close that gap.They discuss:• The structural mismatch between unemployment and hard‑to‑fill skilled roles• Why traditional careers advice and workforce training often fall short• How VR simulations let learners “do the job” before they commit to a pathway• Real‑world outcomes from schools, workforce boards and employers using Transfr• How Lenovo’s XR ecosystem helps move from pilots to practical scale• The role of AI, human skills and vocational pathways in the future of workIf you are dealing with skills gaps, under‑used talent, or trying t

Kristian McCann sits down with Ryan Zoehner, CEO at Algo, and Bryan McCarthy, VP Global Partnerships at Algo, to explore how education providers can take unified communications beyond screens and extend it reliably across the entire campus.Schools have relied on copper wire PA systems for decades — and for a long time, they did the job well enough. But as campuses grow, those legacy systems are showing their age in two very specific and very costly ways.First, the infrastructure itself. Copper wire PA networks are fixed and rigid. Adding a new speaker to a new classroom, a new building, or even a newly partitioned space isn't a simple plug-and-play exercise — it means running new cabling, commissioning physical installations, and absorbing costs that quickly spiral when a district is managing multiple sites.The second problem is these systems are one-way by design. Typically, the only person who can broadcast across the campus is the principal or a designated administrator triggering from a central contr

As regulations evolve, use cases multiply, and businesses demand more flexibility, many organizations are finding that a one‑size‑fits‑all UC approach simply doesn’t work anymore.In this UC Today interview, Vivek Kar, Head of Employee Interaction Suite at Tata Communications, explains why multi‑platform collaboration has become the norm, how an ecosystem‑led UC strategy helps enterprises balance flexibility with governance, and what IT leaders should evaluate when expanding to platforms like Zoom and Google alongside existing environments such as Microsoft and Cisco.The conversation explores:Why enterprises are adopting multiple UC platformsHow regulation and voice governance are shaping UC strategyThe role of a single managed layer in reducing complexityCommon mistakes organizations make in multi‑platform rolloutsWhat IT leaders should prioritize to stay flexible without losing controlThis interview is essential viewing for IT, digital workplace, and UC leaders navigating the realities of modern enterprise c

In this session, Kieran Devlin of UC Today sits down with Chris Stapenhurst, Director of Product Management at Arctera, to unpack a critical shift in the financial services sector. If you are a compliance leader looking to reduce operational drag and gain global visibility, this conversation sets the stage for a more agile, cloud-first future.The era of managing sprawling data centers just to satisfy compliance boxes is coming to an end. In this insightful interview, we explore why banks and financial institutions are aggressively moving toward "pure SaaS" models. It isn’t just about cost - it’s about the agility required to survive in the age of AI and strict data sovereignty.Chris Stapenhurst shares his expertise on how Arctera is helping organizations break free from legacy infrastructure, allowing compliance teams to choose the technology that fits their needs rather than being bound by existing IT hardware. We discuss the reality of "sovereign regions" and how nimble cloud vendors are

With a wave of retirements about to hit workforces, companies have to be prepared to keep avenues open for experienced workers who want to adapt to AI, and to teach junior workers so they can still learn the core skills that AI now performs.Key takeaways include:The day-to-day challenges this shift will bringWhat kinds of responses can HR leaders experiment with to protect and grow expertise amid rising retirements and AI reshaping on-the-job learning?What expertise will look like in an AI-enabled workplaceHow to frame the skills and expertise issue so people in the boardroom take action.Subscribe to the UC Today channel for more interviews with HR experts on trends shaping the future of work.

Join Kieran Devlin from UC Today as he sits down with Chris Stapenhurst, Director of Product Management at Arctera. If you are navigating the complexities of modern compliance and data governance, this conversation highlights exactly why the "build it yourself" model is becoming obsolete.As data volumes explode and regulations tighten ahead of 2027, the traditional on-premise data center is struggling to keep up. Chris Stapenhurst explains that AI is incredibly power-hungry - noting that large tech companies are even purchasing nuclear power stations to fuel data centers - and most firms simply cannot manage that level of hardware overhead on their own.In this insightful discussion, Kieran and Chris break down the critical role of elasticity in the AI era. They discuss why "building for tomorrow" often leads to wasted budget on unused capacity, and how SaaS models offer a smarter alternative.Key discussion points include:The Power of Elasticity: Understanding how cloud infrastructure allow

AI is no longer experimental. From Microsoft Copilot to Zoom AI Companion, AI is now embedded across enterprise collaboration platforms - and leaders are under pressure to deploy it at scale.But here’s the challenge: the pace of innovation is outstripping traditional governance models. New behaviors are emerging. AI-to-AI interactions are happening. Shadow AI is spreading. And regulators are watching closely.In this exclusive UC Today interview, Rob Scott sits down with Devin Redmond, CEO of Theta Lake, to unpack what modern AI governance really looks like - and why moving from guardrails to scalable governance is now mission‑critical for CIOs.In this conversation, we explore:Why AI has moved from pilot projects to production pressureThe innovation paradox facing today’s CIOsWhy blocking AI often increases enterprise riskWhat real AI governance maturity looks like#How to monitor human‑to‑AI and agent‑to‑agent interactionsWhy regulators are intensifying scrutinyWhat CIOs should demand from their AI vendors

Join our host Kristian McCann and CEO of UC Today Rob Scott as they wrap up the final episode of the Microsoft Teams Show. Alongside Tom Arbuthnot, and our panel of regular guests, Kevin Kieller, Satish Upadhyaya, Amanda Sterner, and Ryan Herbst, the team reflects on seven years of Teams’ evolution—from Skype for Business to a hub for AI-driven collaboration.In this final episode, the panel examines Teams’ journey, milestones, and the rapidly growing role of AI in workplace collaboration.Key Highlights:Teams Evolution: From Skype for Business to Teams Phone, breakout rooms, and Teams Rooms, the panel discusses how user needs and adoption have shifted over time.AI and Copilot Integration: The team explore how AI agents and Co-pilot are reshaping workflows, knowledge management, and team productivity across enterprises.Competition and Innovation: The show discusses how competitors like Zoom, Slack, and Cisco have influenced Teams’ features, adoption, and strategic positioning.Future of Collaboration: Our panel

Join host Kieran Devlin from UC Today for this video on The Rise of Digital Sovereignty and What It Means for UC Tech Dominance. He is joined by an all-star panel of industry experts: Jon Arnold (Principal, J. Arnold & Associates), Craig Durr (Chief Analyst), and Dom Black (Director of Research, Cavell Group).In this episode, the panel tackles the "elephant in the room" for 2026: Digital Sovereignty. With France standardizing on state-backed platforms and moving away from US giants like Microsoft and Zoom, are we seeing the end of the global UC monolith? The group also dissects Zoho’s latest strategic moves in the SaaS market and provides a temperature check on the device landscape following a record-breaking ISE.Is your enterprise data actually safe, or just "compliant"? This month, we dig deep into the geopolitical shifts forcing IT leaders to rethink their cloud strategies.What is discussed in this episode: Digital Sovereignty Is Escalating Governments are starting to redraw the rul