AI has become more than just a bet on the future. Now, it’s how work gets done, especially with Webex.

Peter Diamandis once remarked how there’ll be two kinds of companies by the end of this decade. Those that are fully using AI, and those that don’t survive.

The gap is opening between organisations that are putting AI into everyday work, and those still treating it like something to explore in the future.

One group is moving much faster, making clearer decisions, and getting more done. The other is stuck in the pilot stage, building proofs of concept, and talking about what might be possible.

It’s the focus, rather than the technology, that’s changing.

AI has moved on from being a discussion about tools and started to become a conversation about execution.

These are now the key questions to consider:

• Where does AI show up in the average working day?
• Who uses it, and how often?
• Does it make work easier, or just add something else to manage?

Communication is where AI either works or fails

For most organisations, the answers sit in the communication layer. Think about meetings, messages, calls, customer conversations.

This is where time disappears. Decisions get made here, and customer experience can either be won or lost.

If AI doesn’t improve these moments, there’s rarely any change. That’s why the role of Webex itself is starting to shift.

Webex’s move from collaboration platform to AI execution layer

AI tends to fall when it lives outside the workflow. When it’s another platform to log into, or something owned by a small innovation team, usage tends to drop off. People default back to the familiar ways of working.

Webex takes an entirely different route by building AI into the tools people already use daily.

That shows up in practical ways. Notes, actions and follow-ups are automatically captured during meetings. Live transcriptions and summaries cut down admin tasks and reduce any confusion.

There’s also smarter messaging and collaboration processes that helps teams reach decisions faster. Alongside that, customer experience capabilities that improve routing, insight, and resolution also come into effect.

None of this is about adding clever features for the sake of it. It’s about giving people time back and reducing friction within work.

Why do partners make the difference?

Technology on its own doesn’t change behaviour. Partners do.

They understand how teams work, where the bottlenecks sit, and what outcomes customers really care about. That context is what turns AI from an idea into something people genuinely use.

Webex gives partners a way to embed AI into daily operations rather than selling it as an additional tool. It also moves the conversation away from licences and towards results.

What kind of results? How about shorter sales cycles, or better customer engagement. There’s a potential for higher employee productivity alongside clearer, more confident decision‑making.

That’s where real differentiation starts to appear.

What happens when AI is done properly

When AI is built into the workflow, the impact becomes obvious.

Sales teams spend more time with customers and less time writing up calls. Service teams can resolve issues faster because they have the full picture right in front of them.

Technology leaders see the patterns and insight instead of piecing together fragmented information. Employees also spend less time on low‑value admin tasks and more time on work that matters.

AI suddenly stops feeling like a headline topic and starts feeling like a real part of the working day.

A divide that’s already taking shape

Access to AI is an inevitability. What will really matter is who uses it in a way that genuinely changes business performance.

Webex, for example, is moving beyond being just a UC platform. It’s becoming an intelligence layer across meetings, messaging, voice, and customer experience.

Right now, AI integration into Webex is improving how people communicate and make meaningful decisions.

For partners, there’s an opportunity to lead customers through decisive change rather than just sell another product.

For customers, AI becomes something to rely on as opposed to just another tool to experiment with.

For employees, it’s the difference between feeling overloaded and feeling supported.

The divide Diamandis talked about? Turns out it’s already here. The companies that will pull ahead will be the ones quietly building AI into how work gets done. It all starts with the platforms that people are already using to communicate.

Get in contact with Gamma Communications and learn how Webex is transforming how businesses collaborate and prepare for the future of work.

A survey by AI Infra Summit of senior technology and business leaders found that most respondents have moved beyond AI pilot projects, while views were split on whether AI will expand or reduce headcount.

The survey covered 29 C-suite and vice president-level respondents from large companies. Attendees at the closed-door event included leaders from Amazon, Dell Technologies, FedEx, Hitachi, Lenovo, MasterCard, Mercedes-Benz, Wayfair and Zoom.

Almost all respondents said AI is now in active use rather than testing. The findings showed 95% of organisations had moved beyond the pilot phase, while 40% had embedded AI into core products and strategy.

Another 55% said they were running live AI use cases delivering measurable value, pointing to a shift from experimentation to operational deployment among the executives surveyed.

Hiring split

The results showed no consensus on AI’s effect on jobs. Some leaders expect the technology to support expansion or keep teams stable through higher productivity, while others expect it to reduce staffing needs.

In the poll, 14% said AI would lead to business expansion and net new hiring, while 38% expected to produce more with the same headcount. By contrast, 10% said they would replace a significant number of roles with AI agents, and 38% anticipated reducing headcount through AI automation.

That leaves 52% expecting teams to grow or remain the same size, versus 48% expecting a smaller workforce. The findings suggest senior executives see AI less as a uniform jobs story than as a trigger for broader organisational redesign.

Ed Nelson, strategy director and co-founder of AI Infra Summit, said participants were broadly optimistic. “The tone at the recent CEO event was positive – Fortune 500 and 1000 leaders were very bullish on the potential of AI and that it was nowhere near its peak,” Nelson said.

He also described changes some executives said were already taking place inside their businesses. “Some leaders were discussing how AI has already saved their organisations hundreds of millions of dollars. The consensus was that high-level discussions have moved on from whether AI works to understanding how agents can be used effectively. It was agreed that the real transformational benefits of AI will go beyond augmenting existing roles, to re-designing work to make it AI-native,” Nelson said.

Budget pressure

The survey indicated that AI spending is beginning to reshape broader technology budgets. More than a third of respondents said their organisations were cutting traditional IT spending to make room for AI investment.

Specifically, 36% said AI is cannibalising traditional IT spend. At the same time, 46% said their companies were securing new budgets earmarked for AI, suggesting many businesses are funding the technology through a combination of fresh investment and internal trade-offs.

The data also pointed to a common model strategy. Most respondents said their organisations use a mix of external foundation models and internally developed tools or layers.

That hybrid structure was cited by 85% of those surveyed, reflecting a preference for platforms from large providers while retaining some proprietary control. For large organisations, the approach may offer a way to use established models without giving up differentiation in products or internal processes.

Agents in focus

Views were more one-sided on agentic AI. Three-quarters of respondents said autonomous AI agents either live up to the current attention around them or are still underestimated.

Within that group, 50% said the hype was justified and 25% said agentic AI was under-hyped. A quarter said it was over-hyped, leaving a minority with the more sceptical view.

Nelson said the debate at senior level has moved beyond basic questions of viability. “At the event, the leaders were divided on what the future of work would look like. No one doubted the capabilities of AI, and they said that we are nowhere near the peak of its potential. Now the big question for them is how to transform their organisations for the AI era. Work will fundamentally have to be redesigned but the major blocker to this is the organisations themselves – it’s less about the technology, but rather their people and culture,” Nelson said.

Participants also discussed which workers may benefit most as AI tools take on more tasks. According to the event account, some leaders argued that broader problem-solving skills and adaptability may become more valuable than narrow specialisation.

Nelson linked that to the poll’s headcount findings. “The survey revealed that 52% thought headcount would either increase or stay the same. While there was 48% who thought it would decrease, no one was arguing that AI would result in a wholesale elimination of jobs. There was a lot of discussion about the types of skills that would be useful as more roles get augmented with AI agents. It was argued that generalists will prevail in this environment – those with lateral thinking, an open mind, the ability to analyse and make connections – rather than those with deep domain expertise,” Nelson said.

He added that the challenge for large companies goes beyond software deployment. “The jury is still out on what the implementation of AI means for the future of work for the world’s largest companies. This isn’t about sprinkling AI on top of poor processes, however. Integrating AI is a human resources issue, but it shouldn’t be framed as simply an upskilling and retraining exercise; it is a massive operational challenge as well,” Nelson said.

The event honours outstanding small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), innovators, and business leaders in Oxfordshire.

Entries are now being accepted following an extension to the deadline, now set for Monday, August 10.

Sarah Beal, business support service manager at Enterprise Oxfordshire Business, said: “Our track record of impact, combined with opportunities such as the Marketplace and Celebration Event, showcases the real value of engaging with Enterprise Oxfordshire Business.

“These platforms give businesses and entrepreneurs the chance to connect, showcase what they do and access the support that can help them take their next step with confidence.”

Held at Oxford Town Hall the marketplace and awards ceremony will take place on Wednesday, November 4.

The event brings together the county’s business community for an evening of networking, knowledge-sharing, and celebration.

It includes an exhibition marketplace and an awards ceremony.

The awards recognise achievements across categories such as Business Leader of the Year, Start-Up of the Year, and Growth Business of the Year.

Businesses or individuals who have engaged with Enterprise Oxfordshire Business since April 2022 are eligible to participate.

Entry is free across all award categories.

The annual event is part of Enterprise Oxfordshire Business’ ongoing efforts to support the county’s business community and promote commercial success.

Last year’s ceremony, also held at Oxford Town Hall, highlighted the value of connecting entrepreneurs, showcasing services, and celebrating business achievement.

The marketplace format gives businesses a space to present their services and connect with peers.

Earlier this year, the Growth Hub Cluster Impact Report highlighted the contributions of Enterprise Oxfordshire Business and similar hubs in neighbouring regions between April 2020 and March 2025.

During this period, the hubs collectively supported 92,719 businesses, delivered 178,563 hours of business support, and helped launch 3,934 new businesses.

They also helped to create 6,970 jobs and safeguard 6,093 positions.

For every £1 of core government funding, the cluster generated an additional £24 to support SME growth and delivered £35 in economic and social value.

Ms Beal said: “Events like this, alongside our wider Growth Hub support, demonstrate the real impact that targeted, accessible business support can have.

“Whether a business is just starting out or looking to scale, we want to encourage people across the county to engage with us, access support and be part of Oxfordshire’s growing business community.”

Enterprise Oxfordshire became the new trading name of OxLEP in April last year.

This followed a two-year transition and now operates under a Teckal company model with Oxfordshire County Council as its sole shareholder.

Details about award categories, sponsors, and exhibiting opportunities are available at www.enterpriseoxfordshirebusiness.com/marketplace-and-celebration-2026.