Digital Trends Spotlight: Essential Updates for Digital Workspace Leaders
An overview of the latest trends and insights in EX and CX
In the fast-paced world of evolving technology and consumer expectations, leaders must constantly adapt, pivot and innovate to stay ahead. While our annual Digital Workspace Priorities report offers strategic, high-level guidance for setting your overarching employee experience (EX) vision and roadmap, our quarterly Digital Trends Spotlight is your go-to resource for key updates and fresh details of what's happening in the industry. Keeping a pulse on these trends will help you continuously shape and refine your organization's priorities. Let's dive in.
Key trends discussed in this Research Note:
- Voice security in the age of AI
- AI copilots for meetings
- Omnissa and the future of VDI and modern device management
- Digital experience monitoring
Voice security in the age of AI
With the rapid rise of AI-driven deep fakes making headlines — whether through voice manipulation or sophisticated social engineering attacks — voice security is critical. This requires a multifaceted approach that leverages strategies like zero trust, SASE/SSE and multifactor authentication (MFA) to detect deep fakes, strengthen biometric security policies, secure PSTN infrastructure, enhance overall security operations and build resilience.
A good starting point is to review and evaluate your identity access and management (IAM) protocols and your OT and IoT policies, especially in areas like asset discovery and network segmentation. We recommend answering these key questions:
- Does your organization have comprehensive asset discovery processes in place to identify all devices and users with network access?
- Is your organization implementing network segmentation to limit the spread of potential threats and isolate critical systems from less secure parts of the network?
- Are all OT and IoT devices identified and monitored to maintain visibility and control over the network?
- Has your organization applied network segmentation to OT and IoT environments to protect critical infrastructure from being compromised by attacks targeting less secure devices?
- Has your organization incorporated a zero trust approach in its IAM protocols to continuously verify the identity and trustworthiness of users and devices?
You'll also want to ensure your organization is up to date with evolving regulatory policies (which can vary across regions) to remain compliant. For instance, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) declared AI-generated voices in robocalls illegal. Additionally, 29 states have introduced bills to regulate AI use, while the EU is moving toward establishing AI guidelines.
If it seems like there is a lot to consider, there is. Leveraging our AI Proving Ground, we can help you evaluate your current security policies and protocols as well as assess the maturity of deepfake detection tools. Learn how we helped one of the largest financial organizations in the world assess the maturity of several different emerging deepfake solutions designed to assess the authenticity of incoming audio calls.
AI copilots for meetings
Increasingly, AI copilots are becoming a staple in meetings to improve productivity and collaboration. These tools can assist with summarizing meetings, generating action items and providing real-time insights during discussions.
While there has been a noticeable shift towards third-party platforms with robust copilot features, many organizations are now exploring the creation of in-house copilot tools. In many cases, these tools are still leveraging known or open-source LLM models; however, this approach allows organizations to better control their data and safeguard intellectual property rather than rely on third-party solutions. We highlighted this trend in the Q1 report, and it's becoming an even more pressing security and data protection concern as time goes on.
Additionally, we're seeing many organizations select multiple copilot solutions based on different end-user preferences and use cases. Regardless of the solution(s), it's important to understand and carefully assess how these tools impact the organization's cybersecurity posture. Most internal copilots are built using open-source base models, which may contain vulnerabilities or backdoors. Ensuring the security of these models is paramount to protecting sensitive data and maintaining a strong security framework.
Omnissa and the future of VDI and modern device management
Earlier this year, the future of virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) faced uncertainty following Broadcom's acquisition of VMware. However, Broadcom's decision to spin off VMware's VDI and End User Computing (EUC) division into the independent company Omnissa has provided a clearer path forward. Omnissa is committed to strengthening partner relationships, with a focus on delivering superior customer service and enhancing the overall customer experience, a shift from Broadcom's historically rigid approach.
With this spin-off, Omnissa is now set to compete directly with Citrix and Microsoft's Azure Virtual Desktops in the evolving VDI landscape and Microsoft Intune in the modern device management space. It also complements Microsoft's broader product portfolio as a management and application delivery tool and hosted Omnissa Horizon VDI in Microsoft's Azure Cloud. Omnissa is positioning itself as a key player in the market's future.
Leaders should keep this top of mind as they develop their IT strategies. By focusing on VDI and modern device management, organizations can ensure they have the tools and support needed to maintain a secure and efficient digital workspace.
Digital experience monitoring
Digital experience monitoring (DEM) combines real-time analytics, employee feedback and automated remediation to create a seamless work environment that enhances employee engagement and boosts productivity. It considers various aspects like application performance, device efficiency, connectivity, security and operations/support to offer a comprehensive view of the digital experience.
We consider DEM to be vital in improving the digital employee experience (DEX). It enables leaders to spot opportunities for proactive issue resolution and tailored support, which can elevate employee satisfaction and retention. However, implementing DEM comes with challenges, such as the need for continuous monitoring and integration of multiple data sources.
Many customers have successfully implemented DEM solutions by merging tools that track network and connectivity with those monitoring endpoint and application telemetry to manage their digital campus experience. We've also observed customers collaborating with different teams to develop a unified dashboard for enterprise campus applications.
Lastly, DEM cannot be successful without a company culture that embraces and supports digital transformation. This involves providing training and resources to help employees adopt new tools and technologies, along with promoting an environment that encourages innovation and continuous improvement. When done correctly, leaders can foster a more engaged and productive workforce that is better prepared to handle the demands of the modern workplace.
Final thoughts
As companies advance their DEX strategies, these trends should stay at the forefront. By embracing AI, DEM, voice security and VDI/modern device management, leaders can create seamless experiences that attract and retain talent, boost productivity and improve engagement.
We'll be back at the end of 2024 with an update on the top priorities for improving the DEX.
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