A Momentous Enterprise Connect Dominated by Agentic AI
It’s been another significant week of news during this week’s Enterprise Connect, especially around agentic AI.
For example, Zoom has unveiled a swathe of new agentic AI Companion innovations to elevate productivity and collaboration.
Zoom is enhancing its AI Companion capabilities across its entire platform, including Zoom Meetings, Zoom Team Chat, Zoom Docs, Zoom Phone, Zoom Whiteboard, Zoom Contact Center, and industry-specific solutions. These advancements introduce new AI agentic skills, agents, and models designed to deliver high-quality outcomes, boost productivity, and foster stronger user relationships.
Likewise, Cisco has introduced its vision for agentic AI collaboration with new AI-powered enhancements for Webex.
The latest announcements centre on the AI Agent and AI Assistant for Webex Contact Center, designed to anticipate and address customer and employee needs. As part of the Webex Customer Experience portfolio, these AI-driven tools will provide seamless customer support by answering inquiries and integrating with back-office systems to automate intent fulfilment.
Although Microsoft didn’t have much agentic AI-oriented news to share, it had plenty of other eye-catching updates, including a major upgrade of its Dynamics 365 Contact Center, designed to enhance customer service operations. The platform, which leverages generative AI to streamline customer interactions, will now integrate Teams Phone, allowing organizations to unify their telephony infrastructure.
Microsoft also announced a substantial raft of new features for Teams to facilitate more engaging collaboration and communication. Among the most compelling new features are a substantial enhancement of its Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP), a new chat and channels experience, the functionality to resize Teams windows and panes, a room recommender, ad-hoc individual desk booking and QR Code Authentication for frontline workers using Teams.
Google Parent Company Alphabet to Acquire Wiz
Google parent company Alphabet is set to acquire cybersecurity business Wiz for a record-breaking $32 billion.
If regulators approve what would be Alphabet’s biggest-ever deal, the move illustrates Google putting its money where its mouth is in its cloud computing cold war with Amazon and Microsoft.
By acquiring Wiz, Google aims to enhance its cloud business with advanced AI-powered cybersecurity tools designed to help companies address critical vulnerabilities. This strategic acquisition positions Google to better compete in the booming market, driven by the increasing demand for Gen AI services like ChatGPT and the novel security and compliance challenges they pose.
Wiz’s acquisition, structured as an all-cash deal, comes after the company rejected a $23 billion offer from Alphabet last year. The decision was reportedly driven by concerns over potential antitrust hurdles and a strategic commitment to prioritising an initial public offering.
Upon the deal’s completion, Wiz will integrate into Google Cloud, a division that generated more than $40 billion in revenue in 2024 and has recently outpaced the growth of Google’s search business. Wiz’s offerings will continue to be available on all major cloud platforms. Alphabet expects the acquisition to finalise in 2026, contingent on securing regulatory approvals.
OpenAI Reportedly Trialling ChatGPT Connectors for Slack and Google Drive
OpenAI is reportedly testing ChatGPT connectors for Slack and Google Drive to turbocharge AI-powered collaboration and productivity.
As first reported by TechCrunch, which cites a document it has viewed, OpenAI is preparing to launch beta testing for a new feature called ChatGPT Connectors. This feature will enable ChatGPT Team subscribers to integrate their workspace Google Drive and Slack accounts with ChatGPT, allowing the AI to provide responses based on files, presentations, spreadsheets, and Slack conversations within those connected accounts.
The document allegedly reads:
This will allow employees using ChatGPT to easily make use of internal information similar to how they can use world knowledge via web search.”
The document also indicates that OpenAI intends to expand ChatGPT Connectors to additional platforms, such as Microsoft SharePoint and Box.
OpenAI stresses that ChatGPT Connectors respect Slack and Google Drive permissions, ensuring employees can’t access content they lack permission for. Admins control which files and channels are synced, though responses may vary based on access. The tool can’t analyse images, retrieve Slack DMs, or process bot messages. It reportedly can only “read” data in Sheets and Excel.
