UC Today - Out Loud

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 right the first time New Era Technology.For more Unified Communications & Collaboration Tech News visit UC Today.

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:

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 Communication Workflows, designed to boost responsiveness and trigger intelligent actions from real-time conversations.To find out how you can turn your messaging compliance into a competitive advantage, visit LeapXpert.

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.

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 massive risk to your bottom line.Navigating Multi-Vendor Chaos: How GammaEdge Migrate tackles the messy reality of legacy infrastructure through rigorous upfront analysis and tailored, customer-specific execution plans.Future-Proofing Your Base: Why customers are abandoning legacy UCaaS platforms for vendors heavily investing in R&D, AI, and advanced cybersecurity.White-Labeled Delivery: How you can outsource the heavy lifting to Gamma while remaining the sole face of the customer relationship, ensuring a seamless and branded experience.Stop letting complex migrations bottleneck your growth and learn how to turn a massive operational headache into a profitable, streamlined process.

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 to make career education more practical and honest, this conversation is for you.Learn more:Lenovo ThinkReality & XR solutionsTransfr immersive career exploration & training

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 control point. A teacher in a classroom who spots a safeguarding concern, a member of staff in a corridor who witnesses an incident, a caretaker in a building on the far side of campus — none of them can initiate a communication to the rest of the school.=This is the problem Ryan Zoehner and Bryan McCarthy address head-on in this conversation. From classrooms and corridors to playgrounds, gymnasiums, and auditoriums, they unpack why schools are some of the most demanding communication environments in any sector — and how modern IP endpoints close the gap between UC platforms and the physical spaces where staff, students, and visitors actually live and work.​Watch the conversation to learn:Why education campuses are so challenging to keep consistently connected, with fragmented legacy PA, telephony, and security systems spread across multiple buildings and spaces.​ How integrating UC platforms with IP endpoints helps schools replace siloed phone and PA systems with a cohesive, district-wide communication layer—without needing to rip and replace everything at once.​ How UC-connected endpoints support everyday operations, from targeted classroom announcements and recess reminders to more efficient IT management through centralized monitoring and updates.How secure intercoms, two-way audio, and visual alerting enhance campus safety—from controlled door access to rapid, easy-to-trigger emergency notifications that staff can initiate from the UC clients they already use daily.Practical strategies for modernizing on a budget, including hybrid deployments that bridge existing analog infrastructure with new IP devices via paging adapters and open-standard SIP technology.​ What a truly future-ready education environment looks like: open standards, layered systems instead of disconnected silos, and centralized management at scale to support changing needs over the long term.For more Unified Communications & Collaboration Tech news, visit UC Today.

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 collaboration.

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 solving the residency puzzle faster than ever before.Key discussion points include:The Drivers of SaaS: How the democratization of AI and the need for operational flexibility are pushing firms away from rigid, on-premise hardware solutions.Agility & Sovereignty: How Arctera's unique approach allows them to deploy country-specific, compliant SaaS environments in a matter of months, solving the complex data residency challenge.The ROI of Cloud Compliance: Understanding the tangible return on investment achieved by reducing data center costs, electricity consumption, and the specialized IT headcount required to manage physical servers.Global Risk Visibility: Why a unified cloud platform provides a "single pane of glass" for global heads of compliance, eliminating the fragmentation of monitoring risks across hubs like New York, London, and Singapore.Next Steps: Ready to streamline your global compliance operations? Visit the Arctera website.

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 allows organizations to "burst" up resources to meet immediate AI processing demands and shrink back down instantly, ensuring you only pay for what you use.Data Governance & Hygiene: How Arctera aggregates and normalizes content from disparate sources (whether on-prem or cloud) to create the clean, accessible data foundation required for accurate AI insights.Agility Through SaaS: The compliance advantage of a SaaS model, which delivers seamless quarterly updates to address new regulations without the costly downtime and IT resource drain associated with upgrading on-premise systems.Next Steps:Are your infrastructure and compliance strategies ready for the next wave of AI regulations? Visit the Arctera website to learn more about their cloud-native solutions.

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 give predictions for voice-driven AI interfaces, immersive meetings, and the next frontier for Teams in a post-pandemic, hybrid workplace world.Next Steps: Stay tuned for upcoming UC Today shows on AI, productivity, and employee experience.

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 rules around where data lives and who controls it. Could regulation quietly force enterprises to rethink their entire collaboration stack?Zoho's Quiet Power Play While others chase AI headlines, Zoho is reshaping SaaS economics in a way that could ripple through the entire channel. Is their strategy about to disrupt how software risk and pricing are handled?ISE 2026's Biggest Signal Something fundamental has changed on the show floor. Meeting rooms are evolving fast, and the companies controlling workplace data may end up owning the future of the office.

In this episode of UC Today, host Kristian McCann sits down with Jim Johnstone, CISO at Yorktel-Kinly, to explore the new realities of AV security in the modern enterprise. As AV systems evolve from isolated room setups to deeply integrated network components, the line between facility tech and IT infrastructure is disappearing. But has security thinking kept pace? Johnstone unpacks the transformation of AV systems and why organizations need to elevate their approach from project-based oversight to lifecycle governance.In this in-depth conversation, you'll discover:

Join Kieran Devlin from UC Today as he sits down with William Rubio, Chief Revenue Officer at CallTower, for a comprehensive "Big UC Update." If you are navigating the complex world of Unified Communications or trying to figure out where AI actually fits into your business strategy, this conversation sets the stage for what's working in 2026.In this candid session, Kieran and William explore the "colossal" year CallTower has had and what lies ahead. They move beyond the standard corporate pitch to discuss the "CallTower Dedicated" culture and the specific technologies that are solving real-world headaches for international businesses today.William breaks down CallTower's philosophy of "enabling people to connect," highlighting their agnostic approach to the big three - Microsoft, Cisco, and Zoom. The discussion gets specific on new innovations that are changing how employees communicate, shifting from general connectivity to seamless mobile integration. Key discussion points include:The "Dot Dot Dot" Ecosystem: How CallTower integrates over 30 applications - including CCaaS leaders like Genesys and Five9 - to create a turnkey solution that works identically in Germany, Brazil, or Canada.Product Innovation: A look at their game-changing WhatsApp integration for Microsoft Teams and the Dual eSIM technology that allows seamless, compliant separation of business and personal calls on a single mobile device.The AI Reality Check: William discusses the pressure boards are putting on CIOs to "implement AI," and how CallTower is helping clients take a practical, "build the house before the city" approach to avoid failed, massive projects.Market Outlook: Predictions on the inevitable consolidation of AI startups and the critical need for vendors to fill the education void for end-users.Connect with CallTower:Visit CallTower's website to learn more about their global coverage and "Connect" provisioning platform.

In this UC Today interview, host Kristian McCann sits down with Kath Fidler, HR Consultant at FlexHR, to explore how different generations are embracing — or hesitating about — AI in the workplace. Fidler unpacks the generational trends shaping how employees interact with AI, the fears that fuel resistance, and the leadership strategies that can turn hesitation into curiosity.In this video, you'll learn:

In this UC Today interview, host Kristian McCann sits down with Kath Fidler, HR Consultant at FlexHR, to explore how different generations are embracing — or hesitating about — AI in the workplace. Fidler unpacks the generational trends shaping how employees interact with AI, the fears that fuel resistance, and the leadership strategies that can turn hesitation into curiosity.In this video, you'll learn:

Christopher Carey sits down with Oliver Woehler, XR Sales Lead EMEA at Lenovo, and Laura Keresztyén, Sales Associate at Arthur, to unpack what's changed — and why the timing suddenly feels different. ISE 2026 was packed with partners and customers swarming the demos, and Lenovo is using the show to put a spotlight on a new global partnership that's designed to make enterprise XR easier to buy, easier to deploy, and easier to justify.But the real hook is what they're building on top.Because nobody is buying headsets “because headsets.” The question buyers keep asking is the same one we heard across ISE this year: what's the use case, what's the value, and how fast can we prove it?Oliver and Laura lean into that tension, and then take the conversation somewhere more interesting — where immersive collaboration stops being a novelty and starts becoming a productivity lever.Laura shares how Arthur is bringing people and AI into the same virtual workspace, and why the last two years have created what she calls a perfect match between AI and VR. The AI isn't just a chatbot on the side; it's showing up as an active participant in the room — shaping agendas, keeping teams on track, organizing ideas, and pushing meetings toward actual next steps.Then the discussion widens to the “where the ROI lives” territory: training and digital twins. They tease why training is often the quickest win, how personalization changes when AI is in the mix, and why digital twins get far more powerful when you can bring people inside them to walk, annotate, brainstorm, and even interact with complex systems in ways 2D screens can't match.If you're still on the fence about XR at work, this is the interview that will make you rethink what “ready to scale” looks like in 2026.Catch the full video — before your competitors do.

Kristian McCann speaks with Avi Pardo, Co-founder and CBO at LeapXpert, to unpack why messaging governance has become one of the most urgent issues in public sector UC.Consumer messaging tools weren't built for compliance — but that hasn't stopped government employees from using them every day. In this video, Avi Pardo explains why now is the time for IT and UC leaders to get ahead of the governance gap.Key discussion points:Why messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal have become the public sector's biggest governance blind spot — and how it happened.The critical role of compliant communication under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the risks of leaving messages unrecorded.Common architectural mistakes UC and IT leaders make when trying to block or control consumer messaging.How Microsoft Teams integrations can bridge the gap between consumer convenience and enterprise-grade compliance.Why modern governance technology can now deliver control without adding friction for employees or external parties.Next steps:To learn more about regulated messaging in government and enterprise environments, visit LeapXpert website for details on compliant messaging solutions.

Join Kristian McCann from UC Today and Kevin Kieller from Enable UC as they kick off February 2026 with an in-depth look at Microsoft Teams' latest security enhancements and market momentum. Special guest Oleg Danyliuk, CEO of Duanex, shares his company's five-year journey dual-licensing Slack and Teams—and why Teams is finally winning him over.This month's topics:

In this episode of UC Today, host Kristian McCann sits down with Jim Johnstone, CISO at Yorktel-Kinly, to explore the new realities of AV security in the modern enterprise. As AV systems evolve from isolated room setups to deeply integrated network components, the line between facility tech and IT infrastructure is disappearing. But has security thinking kept pace? Johnstone unpacks the transformation of AV systems and why organizations need to elevate their approach from project-based oversight to lifecycle governance.In this in-depth conversation, you'll discover:

In this insightful talk, UC Today's Kristian McCann sits down with Roberta Terranova, Chief People Officer at Wildix, to discuss the trends HR leaders have to contend with in the coming year. From AI adoption and workflow optimization to data-driven culture and remote leadership, Terranova shares real-world lessons on navigating the intersection of people, process, and technology as AI redefines the workplace. Key discussion highlights include:

In this UC Today interview, host Kristian McCann sits down with Mick Heys, Vice President at IDC, and Nathan Budd, Senior Director of Consulting at IDC, to explore the IDC's latest research in collaboration with Shure that tangibly links collaboration effectiveness to productivity and ROI from tech investments.Together, they unpack how organizations can move beyond simply buying technology to understanding its measurable business impact. If you're looking to sharpen your collaboration strategy, quantify productivity, and avoid the hidden cost of inaction, this discussion is one to watch.As hybrid work matures, IDC's research shows that collaboration is no longer a soft skill — it's a strategic differentiator. But many organizations still fail to connect technology investments with real business outcomes. In this conversation, Mick and Nathan explain how businesses can unlock measurable ROI from AV and UC strategies while making AI investments work smarter, not harder.Here's what you'll learn:The cost of inaction: Why failing to optimize AV and collaboration tech quietly drains budgets — and how to quantify it.Collaboration archetypes: Discover IDC's four organizational models — Electronic, Orchestral, Jazz, and Rock — and what they reveal about your collaboration approach.The AI connection: How poor AV setups undermine AI accuracy and productivity, and what to do about it.Outcome-based frameworks: Learn how to align people, processes, and technology to measure success where it matters most.Explore how your organization's collaboration archetype and collaboration setup impact your productivity and ROI by reading IDC and Shure's report.

In this UC Today interview, host Kristian McCann sits down with Reid Walsh, Chief Human Resources Officer at NEOGOV, to explore how HR teams — especially in the public sector — can shift from data collection to data‑driven problem‑solving. Reid shares practical lessons from her experience modernizing people analytics in government and private organizations, revealing how HR can evolve from reactive to strategic by applying purposeful analysis to every stage of the employee journey.Key takeaways include:

In this UC Today interview, host Kristian McCann sits down with Sabra Sciolaro, Chief People Officer at FirstUp, to unpack the growing problem of tech fatigue in modern workplaces.Technology is meant to make work easier — but for many employees, it's doing the opposite. In this conversation, Sciolaro explains how constant platform changes, tool sprawl, and fragmented communication channels are creating attention fatigue, slowing execution, and draining momentum across organizations.Key takeaways include:

In this UC Today interview, host Kristian McCann sits down with Sabra Sciolaro, Chief People Officer at FirstUp, to unpack the growing problem of tech fatigue in modern workplaces.Technology is meant to make work easier — but for many employees, it's doing the opposite. In this conversation, Sciolaro explains how constant platform changes, tool sprawl, and fragmented communication channels are creating attention fatigue, slowing execution, and draining momentum across organizations.Key takeaways include:

In this UC Today interview, host Kristian McCann sits down with Sabra Sciolaro, Chief People Officer at FirstUp, to unpack the growing problem of tech fatigue in modern workplaces.Technology is meant to make work easier — but for many employees, it's doing the opposite. In this conversation, Sciolaro explains how constant platform changes, tool sprawl, and fragmented communication channels are creating attention fatigue, slowing execution, and draining momentum across organizations.Key takeaways include:

In this January 2026 edition of the UC Big News Show, Kieran Devlin (Host, UC Today) sits down with a sharp panel: Blair Pleasant, Craig Durr (The Collab Collective), Jon Arnold (J. Arnold & Associates) and Dom Black (Cavell). Together, they unpack where Unified Communications, collaboration, and workplace AI are really headed—cutting through hype to ask the questions IT buyers and business leaders actually care about: Where's the value, who's getting it, and what needs to change for 2026 to be the year pilots turn into outcomes?AI is everywhere—but the results aren't. The panel reacts to sobering CEO sentiment on AI value, digs into why trust, training, and culture keep getting overlooked, and debates whether Zoom's AI Companion benchmark moment signals a real shift toward orchestration and multi-model strategies. Then the conversation turns to a hot industry reality: with budgets tight and vendors building their own roadshows, are independent events like Enterprise Connect evolving—or sliding toward irrelevance?In this episode, we cover:Why the “AI value gap” is widening—and why revenue growth deserves as much attention as cost cuttingThe overlooked blockers: responsible AI processes, transparency, user adoption, and prompting skillsWhat Zoom's federated, multimodal approach suggests about the future: orchestration, connectors, and “best model for the job”The 2026 events debate: why ISE is booming, why software shows must reinvent themselves, and why vertical-specific events may winNext steps:Audit where AI is actually used in your org (including shadow AI) and map it to measurable outcomesPublish and socialize a responsible AI policy employees can understand and trustIf you're attending ISE / IT Expo / CCW Berlin / Enterprise Connect, drop a comment with where you'll be—UC Today's team would love to connect

 After recent job cuts, many are asking if the metaverse dream is over. In this UC Today interview, Christopher Carey sits down with technology evangelist Kevin O'Donovan to unpack the rise, fall, and future of the Metaverse.Discover:

Join Kristian McCann, host at UC Today, as he sits down with Chris Reed, Head of Product and Technology at Wordwatch, to discuss how phased, risk-free data migration protects compliance and unlocks operational value.Communication data migration in regulated financial sectors is often seen as risky and resource-intensive, and Reed dives deep into why legacy data formats, metadata preservation, and regulatory compliance make migrations daunting. Reed explains how approaches like Wordwatch's, with a phased, controlled approach, mitigates the fear and the risk by ensuring zero modification to original records, maintaining their integrity and audit trails throughout. Key points include:The paramount risk of data loss or corruption during migration, especially preserving metadata such as retention and legal holds, which is crucial for compliance with regulators like FINRA and FCA.Common pitfalls financial institutions face, including budget constraints and the complexity of handling legacy codecs that modern systems struggle to support.Wordwatch's solution: migrating metadata first, preserving original call recordings unchanged, and providing continuous validation to guarantee the completeness and authenticity of data.The benefits of consolidating legacy and live data into a single, secure archive, enabling rapid searches, easing regulatory response times, breaking vendor lock-in, and unlocking insights from communication data.Explore how Wordwatch's phased migration strategy can be tailored to your organization's legacy systems by visiting https://wordwatch.io/.

Kristian McCann of UC Today talks to Chris Reed, Head of Product and Technology at Wordwatch, to explore how financial and regulated firms can transform their communication governance from a mere compliance task into a powerful source of business intelligence. This video dives deep into how companies can convert compliance data into actionable insights rather than viewing it as a checklist obligation. Key discussion points include:How legacy compliance systems create silos that limit insight and operational efficiency.The AI-driven opportunities unlocked by making communication data fully searchable.The strategic benefits of a single unified archive for compliance, technical, and client management teams.Real measurable improvements in compliance effectiveness, risk management, and customer satisfaction driven by turning communication data into a single trusted source of truth.If you want to discover how to unlock the hidden intelligence in your data and future-proof your compliance and risk strategy with AI-powered governance, visit https://wordwatch.io/.

In this episode of UC Today, host Christopher Carey sits down with Tim Ward, Product Marketing Specialist at Global Relay, and Irwin Lazar, President and Principal Analyst at Metrigy, to unpack the findings of Metrigy's latest report on the rapidly expanding compliance risks across unified communications.With enterprises adopting Teams, WhatsApp, SMS, AI assistants, and more, the discussion digs into why compliance can no longer lag behind innovation – and how leaders can avoid costly missteps that impact productivity, security, and regulatory accountability.Unified communications is evolving faster than most compliance frameworks can keep up – and the consequences are real. In this candid conversation, Tim and Irwin reveal where organizations are slipping, how AI-generated content complicates record-keeping, and why blocking apps often backfires. They share first-hand examples of multimillion-dollar fines, the hidden risks of employee workarounds, and the operational insights companies can unlock when they treat compliance data as a strategic asset rather than a burden.

Join Kieran Devlin, UC Today host, in conversation with Bill Dellara, Chief Product Officer at VOSS, as they explore the emerging concept of digital workplace automation fabric and its transformative impact on enterprise IT operations. In this insightful discussion, Bill shares how organizations like BT, Telefonica, and Lloyds Banking Group are breaking free from manual, script-based processes that have historically plagued UC and collaboration management.Bill Dellara explains why this domain has remained stubbornly resistant to automation—despite widespread success in other IT areas—and how specialized platforms are finally bridging the gap between automation expectations and reality.Key Discussion Points:The Complexity Challenge: Learn why traditional automation approaches fail in UC environments, where even simple user onboarding can involve 30+ API calls, 3,500+ voice settings, and coordination across siloed teams managing voice, messaging, and meeting rooms separately.Four Pillars Integration: Discover how connecting automation, monitoring, analytics, and AI as unified pillars—rather than separate tools—enables closed-loop self-healing scenarios that can automatically detect issues, adjust configurations, and escalate when needed without human intervention.Real-World Transformation: Hear how a major enterprise reduced user onboarding from 5-10 days to under one hour while dramatically improving new user experience and eliminating configuration errors—all through integrating ServiceNow with VOSS's orchestrated workflows.Next Steps: Assess your current automation maturity by mapping how many business processes truly integrate your UC and collaboration platforms versus relying on manual ticket handoffs. Evaluate whether your approach can scale to support strategic business agility or remains limited to tactical efficiency improvements within the UC domain.

Kristian McCann sits down with John Ringis, Director of Physical Security, and Salik Makda, Director of Network Engineering at New Era Technologies, to unpack one of today's most urgent workplace challenges: how to bring employees back to the office—and keep them there.With hybrid work now the norm, John and Salik break down why workplace readiness matters more than ever, what “good” looks like, and how organizations can rebuild trust in the physical office through safer environments, smarter technology, and seamless user experiences.What does it take to create an office employees want to return to? In this conversation, New Era Technologies' experts explore the intersection of physical security, network performance, and space optimization—and how each contributes to productivity, satisfaction, and long-term RTO success.Key discussion points include:Workplace readiness defined: Why safety, reliable technology, and cultural clarity form the “three pillars” of a successful return-to-office strategy.Room, network, and space readiness: How everything from wireless density to huddle-room availability impacts daily employee experience.Hybrid challenges: The gap between modern at-home technology and outdated in-office infrastructure—and why network readiness is now non-negotiable.Best practices for scaling RTO: Standardizing security across locations, adopting mobile credentials, and using analytics to guide space planning.If you're planning or refining your RTO strategy:Conduct a full workplace and technology assessment.Evaluate your network's readiness for high-density, cloud-first collaboration.Explore modern physical security tools, especially mobile credentials and cloud-managed systems.Visit New Era Technologies to see how their solutions can make your RTO strategy a success

In this session, UC Today's Kieran Devlin sits down with Kalyan Kumar (KK), Chief Product Officer at HCL Software, to diagnose a critical issue facing the Global 2000: the inability to move AI from the lab to the real world. With so many firms stuck running endless experiments without delivering hard business outcomes, this conversation offers the architectural blueprint needed to break through the deadlock. KK shares why the secret to AI success isn't actually about the AI itself—it's about how you manage the data that feeds it.Everyone is rushing to roll out AI, but few are seeing the productivity gains promised. Why? According to KK, it's not an AI problem—it's a data problem. The enterprise landscape is a "tangled web" of disparate applications, and without a data-first operating model, deploying autonomous agents often results in simply making bad decisions faster.In this deep dive, we explore why modernization doesn't mean ripping out "classic" systems like mainframes, but rather building an orchestration layer that connects them to new intelligence. KK explains why the future isn't just about picking an LLM, but about mastering metadata and preparing for a multi-agent world where governance is non-negotiable.Key discussion points:The Data-First Imperative: Why you must untether data from applications and master metadata before AI can succeed—treating your enterprise like a well-organized library rather than a chaotic storage room.Solving the Integration Paradox: How to bridge modern AI agents with "classic" core systems (ERPs, Mainframes) using universal orchestration rather than forcing a total rip-and-replace modernization.Governance in a Multi-Agent World: Preparing for the rise of Agent-to-Agent (A2A) communication and the Model Context Protocol (MCP) to prevent autonomous agents from creating conflict.

Kristian McCann sits down with Ryan Zoehner, CEO at Algo Communication Products, and Ariel Posvolsky, Director of Customer Success Engineering at Algo, to unpack how manufacturers can finally bring their industrial floors into the unified communications era.Modern factories run 24/7, but many still rely on paging systems installed before the internet existed. In this conversation, Ryan and Ariel explain how to turn fragmented radios, DECT phones, sirens, and legacy amps into a cohesive, UC-driven communication fabric that reaches every noisy corner of an industrial site.​Key talking points include:Why industrial UC is often an afterthought – and how that fragmentation creates daily communication, safety, and alerting risks on the plant floor.How Algo's SIP- and multicast-enabled IP speakers, visual alerters, and paging adapters bridge legacy analog systems into platforms like Cisco, Microsoft Teams, and RingCentral.​Practical ways to meet OSHA and ADA expectations using a mix of clear audible paging, strobes, and IP displays for inclusive messaging in 80+ dB environments.What a phased migration looks like in the real world, using “Lego block” IP endpoints to protect existing investments while moving toward a full IP architecture.Visit Algo to see how you can make your manufacturing workplace secure for now and the future.

In this UC Today session, host Kieran Devlin speaks with Will Morey, Managing Director of Channel at Gamma, about one of the most urgent challenges facing partners and end customers today: operational complexity. With organisations juggling fragmented UC, CC, and connectivity stacks, Will explains why consolidation isn't just a commercial preference—it's becoming a competitive necessity. This conversation digs beneath the surface of Gamma's “one vendor, one network, one solution” promise to reveal the invisible value partners gain when everything is unified on a single, secure network.When partners stitch together multiple suppliers, they don't just inherit logistical friction—they inherit hidden risk. In this deep-dive, Will Morey lays out the real-world impact of consolidation, how Gamma's network-first model enables stability at scale, and why actionable data is becoming the next major differentiator for channel partners.Key discussion points include:

In this UC Today interview, host Kieran Devlin speaks with John Christian, Vice President of Marketing at Akixi, about the urgent CX demands reshaping the telecom and IT landscape—and how Akixi is helping service providers meet them. With a rich background at Metaswitch and Microsoft, John offers a frontline view of how Teams Phone migrations are creating massive expectations around insights and experience. Tune in to learn how Akixi's packaged analytics, CRM integrations, and call recording tools help service providers not just survive—but lead—in this evolving space.As businesses shift from legacy platforms to cloud-first solutions like Microsoft Teams Phone, delivering exceptional customer experience is now mission-critical. In this exclusive UC Today session, Akixi's John Christian breaks down the new expectations placed on service providers—and how Akixi is equipping them to thrive.

Kristian McCann sits down with Ryan Zoehner, CEO at Algo Communication Products, and Ariel Posvolsky, Director of Customer Success Engineering at Algo, to unpack how manufacturers can finally bring their industrial floors into the unified communications era.Modern factories run 24/7, but many still rely on paging systems installed before the internet existed. In this conversation, Ryan and Ariel explain how to turn fragmented radios, DECT phones, sirens, and legacy amps into a cohesive, UC-driven communication fabric that reaches every noisy corner of an industrial site.​Key talking points include:Why industrial UC is often an afterthought – and how that fragmentation creates daily communication, safety, and alerting risks on the plant floor.How Algo's SIP- and multicast-enabled IP speakers, visual alerters, and paging adapters bridge legacy analog systems into platforms like Cisco, Microsoft Teams, and RingCentral.​Practical ways to meet OSHA and ADA expectations using a mix of clear audible paging, strobes, and IP displays for inclusive messaging in 80+ dB environments.What a phased migration looks like in the real world, using “Lego block” IP endpoints to protect existing investments while moving toward a full IP architecture.Visit Algo to see how you can make your manufacturing workplace secure for now and the future.

In this eye-opening interview, Rob Scott of UC Today is joined by Stacey English, Director of Regulatory Intelligence at Theta Lake, to explore what's becoming one of the biggest emerging risks in financial services: AI governance failure.Theta Lake's recent research, based on insights from 500 financial institutions, shows a concerning paradox: while AI promises massive productivity gains, most firms are flying blind when it comes to monitoring AI-generated communications, making them vulnerable to compliance breaches, data leakage, and regulatory scrutiny.Stacey brings her former-regulator perspective to discuss what firms are getting wrong, how "AI comms" are redefining risk, and why unmonitored employee-AI interactions are a ticking time bomb.Key Takeaways from the Conversation:The rise of “AI comms”: New categories of interaction demand new compliance strategies.The visibility crisis: 67% of firms admit their staff are likely using unmonitored channels.Tech fragmentation: The average firm uses 3+ vendors—creating data silos and record-keeping chaos.What real AI governance looks like: From ISO 42001 certification to unified oversight across modalities.Whether you're a CIO, compliance officer, or simply navigating AI adoption in a regulated space, this discussion highlights how to move beyond foundational guardrails to true governance.Next Steps:Ready to take control of your AI communications? Visit thetalake.com for guidance on your compliance journey

Is your enterprise struggling with E911 compliance across multiple UC platforms?

Join UC Today's Kristian McCann as he talks with Joe Gillis, Senior Vice President of Sales and GVC & Strategic Growth about New Era Technology and their solutions and market insights. In this comprehensive interview, Gillis shares his thoughts on the power of partnerships, the evolving world of AI, and how New Era is tackling the challenges of delivering seamless service on a global scale. If you're interested in understanding how a leading systems integrator helps companies stays agile and future-ready, then tune in to hear the following:- Learn how New Era grew into a 4,500-employee powerhouse spanning 180+ countries and seamlessly integrates acquisitions into its strategy.- How AI is being incorporated into customer solutions, making workflows faster, more insightful, and more cost-effective.- The differences in New Era's mid-market vs. enterprise offerings and the tailored support that large-scale companies demand.- How the company fosters a transparent, collaborative culture that embraces feedback and continuous adaptation to stay competitive.Discover how New Era can help your business manage its service and reach a new level of excellence: https://www.neweratech.com/uk/

Join UC Today's Kristian McCann as he sits down with Quang Le, Product Manager at Kurmi, to explore the evolving challenges and innovative solutions in managing agent life cycles within contact centers. With organizations facing increasing complexity from seasonal spikes, platform fragmentation, and the demands of distributed teams, the realities of managing agent onboarding, offboarding, and ongoing administration in today's fast-paced contact center environments are increasingly complex. Quang Le shares how Kurmi's centralized, automated approach - highlighted through its Genesys integration - helps organizations reduce errors, improve compliance, and stay agile during peak seasons.Key discussion points include:

As hybrid work becomes the norm, enterprises face new challenges around collaboration, platform integration, and user experience. In this exclusive interview, Tata Communications' Vivek Kar explores what it takes to build flexible, secure, and scalable communication environments that support diverse user needs.Key discussion points include:Why multi-platform UC support is now a business-critical capability – from mergers to legacy systems, find out what's driving platform diversity.The role of user self-service in scaling communications globally – discover how decentralization empowers IT and improves adoption.Balancing vendor consolidation with best-of-breed agility – Vivek breaks down the real-world trade-offs.The future of managed services in UC – beyond basic support, into orchestration, AI-driven insights, and unified governance.Packed with expert insights, real-world examples, and a vision for what's next, this episode is a must-watch for IT leaders, CIOs, and enterprise collaboration professionals.

In this jam-packed episode of UC Big News, host Kieran Devlin is joined by expert analysts Jon Arnold, Melody Brue, Craig Durr, and Zeus Kerravala for a whirlwind tour of the latest from the unified communications world. The team unpacks Mitel's return from bankruptcy, gets hands-on with Google Beam's volumetric video marvel, and decodes Cisco's new enterprise-focused vision for Webex, fresh from Cisco Live 2025. Whether you're a tech leader, vendor watcher, or just UC-curious, this is the episode to watch.

Kieran Devlin sits down with Bill Dellara, Chief Product Officer at VOSS, to unpack one of the biggest shifts happening in enterprise communications: the convergence of unified communications (UC) and contact center (CC). As organizations chase better experiences, lower costs, and smarter operations, we reveal how aligning UC and CC can unlock powerful outcomes for both customers and employees.With decades of experience at the heart of UC transformation, Bill Dellara shares practical insights into why the UC+CC revolution is no longer optional—and how VOSS is uniquely positioned to lead the charge. From overcoming the fear of change to deploying AI-powered experiences, this session is rich in strategy and real-world takeaways.