Cisco brings what it calls "cognitive collaboration" to Webex-- essentially the implementation of AI and machine learning to the Webex Meetings, cloud PBX and contact centre products.
Such capabilities come through May 2018 Cisco acquisition Accompany, a startup behind an AI-driven relationship platform. AI-powered additions to Webex include People Insights, a means to generate professional profiles of meeting members in real-time. The system uses "context and intelligence" to create something more substantial than the results of a simple web search, and it keeps profiles up to date with the latest news.
Webex Assistant gets two features. The first is is Proactive Join, which allows users to walk in the room and asks them if they want to join a meeting, with "intelligent proximity" working out who the user is. Meanwhile "First Match" checks the calendar of a user to let them know who they want to call next.
A final feature is facial recognition-- essentially eliminating the guessing game remote people have to go through when entering a big conference room filled with new people.
“Cognitive Collaboration is a game changer for Cisco customers across all industries,” Cisco says. “When we enable people to collaborate from wherever they are in a way that’s intuitive, easy and smart, we make their work and life experiences better and more productive.”
The above mentioned Webex features will be available from June 2019.
