Copyright TechTarget - All rights reserved https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rss/rss.html Techtarget Feed Generator en Sat, 13 Jun 2026 17:01:51 GMT https://www.techtarget.com/whatis editor@techtarget.com <p>As patch management programs face mounting pressure from AI-driven threats and vulnerability discovery, CISA is pushing federal agencies toward risk-based remediation -- a move experts say will inevitably affect the private sector too.</p> <p>CISA released a binding operational directive (BOD) on Wednesday requiring federal agencies to remediate the highest-risk flaws within three days and authorizing them to delay or defer addressing lower-severity flaws.</p> <p>"The three-day remediation timeline provided is a pretty significant step up from the 14-day window CISA had on the previous BOD," said Erik Nost, an analyst at Forrester, adding that both public and private organizations should take note. "It's a signal that timelines are going to compress."</p> <p>CISA told federal agencies to assess a bug's severity based on the following four factors:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Exposure -- i.e., whether it is accessible on the internet.</li> <li>If the vulnerability has been actively exploited.</li> <li>If the exploitation of the flaw enables full system control.</li> <li>The ability of an attacker to fully automate exploitation.</li> </ul> <p>"We must flip the script on patching prioritization," <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/patch-smarter-not-harder" rel="noopener">wrote</a> CISA's Chris Butera, acting executive assistant director for cybersecurity, and Jonathan Spring, senior technical advisor, in a blog post. "Patch smarter, not harder."</p> <p>In the blog and during a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/cisa-vulnerability-remediation-prioritization-directive/822504/" rel="noopener">briefing</a>, Butera cited AI as the main driver of the BOD update, saying defenders cannot afford to take weeks to patch systems that can be autonomously exploited en masse.</p> <p>In positive news, most organizations are aware of and already assess the first two factors, according to Nost. Plus, many organizations are in the process of adopting <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/risk-based-vulnerability-management-RBVM">risk-based exposure prioritization</a>, he said, which will help address the other two factors (full system control and attackers' ability to automate).</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Enterprise CISO takeaways"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Enterprise CISO takeaways</h2> <p>While the CISA BOD is intended for federal agencies, Theresa Lanowitz, an analyst at Omdia, a division of Informa TechTarget, said it will have a ripple effect that reaches the private sector.</p> <p>"Many enterprises are part of an intricate supply chain to the federal government and provide physical items, intellectual property, services, etc.," she said. "The private sector needs to be aware of the BOD and have a clear understanding of what it may provide to federal agencies, and take steps to ensure proactive security measures to comply with the directive."</p> <p>Among the key considerations for enterprise CISOs are resource constraints, automation, and tools and technologies, the analysts said.</p> <h3>Resource constraints and management</h3> <p>"You can't just say 'remediate faster' in a lot of cases," Nost said, adding that typically, only large agencies and private enterprises have the resources to meet the new CISA directive. Expect smaller agencies, midmarket organizations and SMBs to struggle, he warned.</p> <p>"The new directive has an aggressive remediation timeline that some organizations may not be able to effectively manage," Lanowitz agreed, adding that organizations should <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/15-benefits-of-outsourcing-your-cybersecurity-operations">partner with third parties</a> if they do not have the necessary internal bandwidth.</p> <p>Critically, she stressed, teams must clearly understand who owns which remediation tasks. Lanowitz suggested using a responsibility matrix for escalation to ease confusion of "in the moment" responsibilities associated with discovery, patch deployment and approvals.</p> <p>"This is a time for organizations to modernize security teams, emphasize a collaborative approach to the SDLC and include security at the onset of every project," she said. "Organizational silos prevent knowledge transfer. A highly collaborative team focuses on outcomes for the business."</p> <h3>Automation</h3> <p>Adversaries are automating to exploit vulnerabilities, and agencies and enterprises should do the same to counter them. Lanowitz suggested looking at tools to automate continuous patching, reporting, ticketing systems, attack surface monitoring, IP address profiling and API monitoring.</p> <p>Nost said that while <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/Automated-patch-management-Best-practices-for-success">autonomous remediation</a> is not a reality in most enterprise programs today, it is an area that CISOs should explore. Get started, he suggested, by automating the following three elements:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>The prioritization process.</b> Start with decision-making, Nost said. Use risk-based frameworks -- whether based on CISA's BOD or on private, organization-defined service levels -- to identify what to prioritize within defined timelines.</li> <li><b>Execution action sequences.</b> Nost said he has seen many organizations use automation to decide what to remediate -- for example, to identify whether a system can handle an automated patch. Most organizations using automated patching, Nost said, automate the remediation process's action sequence for less-critical or low-hanging-fruit assets.</li> <li><b>Validation.</b> Use automation to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/Security-patch-validation-and-verification">prove the patch was successful</a>, Nost said, adding that organizations should also automate scanning to ensure the issue has been remediated.</li> </ul> <p>The most difficult part of the process, Nost noted, will be adjusting and adapting to context and signals that occur throughout the remediation process as organizations increase automation.</p> <h3>Tools, technologies and processes</h3> <p>The new directive means the days of reactive, manual patching are over, Lanowitz said. She suggested organizations invest in areas such as exposure management, asset discovery and risk-based prioritization.</p> <p>Nost said exposure management tools are evolving to accommodate the current threat landscape. For example, he said that most tools now collect more context using additional threat feeds, providing signals that help organizations assess and understand vulnerabilities more quickly and efficiently.</p> <h3>Another thing: Consider the supply chain</h3> <p>Lanowitz said organizations must consider not only their own patching and vulnerability remediation programs, but also those of their third parties.</p> <p>"Think about where the software is originating -- legacy source code, trusted partners who may be using outsourced resources, commercial off-the-shelf code, open source code, vibe coding, etc. All of these sources highlight the dangers of unknown vulnerabilities entering a supply chain," she said, adding that <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/How-to-create-an-SBOM-with-example-and-template">SBOMs are crucial</a> to managing third-party software risks.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Smarter, not harder"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Smarter, not harder</h2> <p>CISA's updated BOD represents a fundamental shift in enterprise security patching, moving from traditional vulnerability management to an exposure-based strategy.</p> <p>The directive's underlying philosophy -- patch smarter, not harder -- offers a roadmap for both public and private sector organizations to build more resilient, responsive security programs capable of defending against today's AI-enabled threats.</p> <p><em>Sharon Shea is executive editor of TechTarget Security.</em></p> </section> CISA's updated directive for federal agencies compresses mandatory patching timelines to just three days for high-risk flaws, urging practitioners to 'patch smarter, not harder.' https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/security_a303249453.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/news/366644336/What-CISAs-new-remediation-directive-means-for-CISOs Fri, 12 Jun 2026 21:02:00 GMT <p>In theory, a dashboard cleanup effort sounds straightforward. In practice, deciding which dashboards still matter to users -- and which ones don't -- can be one of the more difficult aspects of managing enterprise analytics.</p> <p>To make informed decisions on keeping and removing redundant data assets, BI and analytics leaders need a dashboard audit that goes beyond a simple inventory. They need to understand who uses these views, what business purpose they serve, whether they overlap with existing ones and who owns them. This also requires a process for assessing whether the visualizations help drive business decisions or only create more work and unnecessary costs for analytics teams.</p> <p>It's less of a technical cleanup project than a cross-function exercise in governance, business alignment and change management. And once order has been restored, these processes must be kept in place <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchbusinessanalytics/feature/How-dashboard-sprawl-challenges-upend-enterprise-analytics">to prevent dashboard sprawl</a> from happening again.</p> <p>Sripathi Jagannathan, head of data engineering at digital services company UST, has seen those challenges firsthand. He pointed to one client, a global hospitality company, that had more than 300 dashboards and used a cloud migration effort to audit which ones were still needed. The company removed about 250 dashboards after determining that just 59 were worth keeping, Jagannathan said.</p> <p>"We performed a detailed discovery and clustering exercise, identified redundancy and low/no usage and had business stakeholders prioritize dashboards into high, medium and low value," Jagannathan said. "The retained set reflects the dashboards that were actively used, materially relevant and needed to support near-term operations -- even as the client considered longer-term platform changes."</p> <p>Over the past two decades, organizations have expanded access to data and analytics tools, such as BI platforms, enabling <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchbusinessanalytics/tip/Best-practices-for-self-service-analytics">more business users and teams to create dashboards.</a> That broader access made it possible to analyze data faster, but it also contributed to inconsistent outputs, conflicting reports and higher costs as duplicate or low-value dashboards consumed licenses, refresh cycles and compute resources.</p> <p>"Now [organizations] want to rein things back in," said Georgia O'Callaghan, a director analyst at Gartner.</p> <p>That's a tough task. Rationalizing dashboards requires careful analysis, effective change management and stronger governance to prevent further sprawl.</p> <p>"It's not necessarily about having fewer dashboards. It's about making sure you have the right dashboards," said Alan Cecil, data analytics manager at professional services firm BPM.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Obstacles to dashboard cleanup efforts"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Obstacles to dashboard cleanup efforts</h2> <p>Determining which dashboards to keep and which to retire presents several practical challenges during a dashboard audit, O'Callaghan said.</p> <p>Documentation for dashboards is often missing -- particularly when business units create them rather than data teams. Visibility into how they're used is typically opaque. And users might resist cooperating with the consolidation if they think they will lose their pet analytics tools or reports. In other cases, the original users or owners have left, leading to dashboards that no one uses or manages.</p> <p>In some organizations, the harder problem is finding someone to lead the dashboard audit and consolidation effort, because they don't have anyone who <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchbusinessanalytics/feature/The-future-of-business-intelligence-Top-trends">owns the governance of BI tools.</a></p> <p>"The audit process itself is not easy," Jagannathan said. "You have to know how you will go about identifying redundancies in the dashboards, and they tend to be proprietary black boxes."</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Who should lead the dashboard review?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Who should lead the dashboard review?</h2> <p>To rationalize dashboards, organizations should start by assigning clear ownership of the initiative and of dashboard management.</p> <p>O'Callaghan said the dashboard environment should ideally be overseen by "the people with the right expertise." In some organizations, that means the BI team. In others, enterprise architecture may take the lead if it owns the data platform.</p> <p>However, O'Callaghan and other analytics experts stressed that dashboard rationalization must also involve IT and business units.</p> <p>"It's not as simple as saying, 'Who owns dashboards?'" Cecil said.</p> <p>He said each dashboard should have an owner responsible for making sure it supports business objectives, while the IT and data teams should <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/tip/Top-IT-governance-best-practices">manage the infrastructure, practices and policies</a> that keep the dashboards available, reliable and trustworthy.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="How to review and consolidate dashboards"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>How to review and consolidate dashboards</h2> <p>The experts offered the following recommendations to streamline dashboard environments:</p> <ol class="default-list"> <li><b>Determine how much self-service access to grant.</b> O'Callaghan said some organizations tightly control access to data and analytics tools, while others have relatively few restrictions. Both approaches have pros and cons. Strict limits might slow decision-making, while <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchbusinessanalytics/opinion/Why-the-rush-to-replace-dashboards-with-AI-is-a-mistake">unrestricted self-service access can lead to dashboard sprawl.</a> Determining an organization's position will guide subsequent actions.</li> <li><b>Consider usage in context.</b> "You can't judge a dashboard only by how often it's used. It might look like it's not that important by its low usage, but it could be super critical," Cecil said. The people leading the rationalization effort must consider not only how often a dashboard is used, but also why it matters to the business. Nonetheless, dashboards with little to no use over an extended period are likely candidates for retirement.</li> <li><b>Identify duplicate dashboards and overlapping functionality.</b> O'Callaghan said this step is difficult but essential to decide which dashboards can be combined without disrupting the business.</li> <li><b>Determine the value of individual dashboards.</b> Organizations should prioritize dashboards that generate the most business value, Cecil said. "If you've identified a group of valuable reports or dashboards, invest in getting those into broader usability. You still will need to clean things up, especially if you're burning compute resources, but focus more energy on the dashboards that are useful," he said.</li> <li><b>Select the right processes and tools for the assessment.</b> In most organizations, no single individual or team can review every dashboard, so leaders need surveys, usage data and other metrics to determine the value of individual dashboards. O'Callaghan said many organizations use questionnaires to learn which dashboards workers use and how they use them. Jagannathan recommended that teams also use monitoring and scanning tools to help identify duplicate or unused dashboards.</li> <li><b>Use change management practices.</b> Encourage users to complete surveys and support the work to revise the dashboard environment. "There is a human component that needs to be managed here," Jagannathan said. Workers might resist retiring familiar dashboards even when it's the best option for the organization, so leaders should clearly communicate the business case for the consolidation.</li> </ol> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="How to prevent dashboard sprawl from returning"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>How to prevent dashboard sprawl from returning</h2> <p>Dashboard rationalization can reduce sprawl and many of its related problems, but that won't stop them from multiplying again.</p> <p>To keep that growth in check, experts advised leaders to:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Decide whether the goal is only to remove unnecessary dashboards or also to redesign the remaining ones to better meet user needs and reduce demand for new dashboards.</li> <li>Create a searchable repository of dashboards so users can determine whether an existing asset will work for them before requesting or building a new one.</li> <li>Establish or strengthen governance to <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchbusinessanalytics/opinion/You-need-analytics-governance">ensure each dashboard has an owner</a>. The governance program should also include periodic dashboard reviews to classify dashboards into four categories: keep, consolidate, retire and redesign, Cecil said. In addition, it should establish a review process for new dashboard requests to limit unnecessary <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sigmacomputing.com/blog/data-fatigue" rel="noopener">ones</a>.</li> </ul> <p><em>Mary K. Pratt is an award-winning freelance journalist specializing in enterprise IT, cybersecurity strategy and data management.</em></p> </section> Managing large BI estates takes more than deleting stale dashboards. To keep order, leaders need to assess analytics usage and assign ownership to prevent clutter from returning. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/strategy_g1151390404.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchbusinessanalytics/tip/Why-a-dashboard-audit-matters-before-BI-cleanup Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:40:00 GMT <p>Adobe released Coworker, a "super agent" for marketing that can manage a stable of task-based agents to define campaigns guided by analytics data and then design, tee up, adjust and -- with human approvals -- launch them. All, Adobe claims, on the fly.</p> <p>Not to be confused with Adobe Agent Orchestrator, Coworker is a set of agents built with the same <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/news/366641743/Adobe-defines-its-AI-powered-customer-experience-platform">CX Enterprise</a> <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchapparchitecture/tip/Harness-engineering-Agent-harnesses-as-critical-infrastructure">agent harness</a>. The harness adds deterministic business rules to probabilistic workflows -- such as gathering required approvals, deploying agentic skills (reusable instruction sets that teach AI the order of operations), and orchestrating agents from multiple vendors.</p> <p>Agent harnesses unlock the potential for more sophisticated workflows than task-based agents can, said Daniel Sheinberg, senior director of product management for Adobe Experience Cloud.</p> <p>"You can just say to the orchestration layer or the harness, 'Here are all the APIs and the tools that are available to you, and on the fly you can figure out these agentic workflows,'" Sheinberg said. "What's happening with these harnesses is, yes, you can give it prebuilt agents, but you can also just expose it to a library of skills, and it will figure out how to use these skills to get what you want done."</p> <p>Coworker agents serve as the manager of Adobe tools -- such as Audience Agent and Journey Agent -- as well as agents from other tools that plumb outside data sources. <br><br>Another agent, Coworker Chat, executes complex edits in Creative Cloud apps like Photoshop and Illustrator from plain-language prompts.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Where A2A, MCP come in"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Where A2A, MCP come in</h2> <p>Coworker is Adobe's answer to agent management systems such as ServiceNow's AI Control Tower, albeit without an <a target="_blank" href="https://newsroom.servicenow.com/press-releases/details/2026/ServiceNow-expands-AI-Control-Tower-to-discover-observe-govern-secure-and-measure-AI-deployed-across-any-system-in-the-enterprise/default.aspx" rel="noopener">agentic "kill switch</a>," said Liz Miller, analyst at Constellation Research.</p> <p>Adobe customers hoping to automate, for example, the process of generating social media posts based on fresh website content, don't just need support for model context protocol (MCP) and Agent-to-Agent (A2A) agentic interoperability standards, she said. They need tools customized to their marketing work, because many processes are fraught with complications when humans do them -- and the agents need to fix that, not add to the complexity.</p> <p>Coworker helps marketers tap into those A2A and MCP standards by embedding them into familiar, everyday marketing workflows, Miller said. These workflows can span creative processes, deployment and execution, guided by analytics and audience data along the way.</p> <p>"We've got an MCP server, they've got a server. I'm looking at A2A, you're looking at A2A. Where do I actually start connecting these things?" Miller said. "It's one thing to be able to say, 'We are looking at protocols that enable one agent to hand off to another agent.' It's completely another thing to actually attribute that to a work product important to a marketer."</p> <p>Users of agentic AI in general -- not just Adobe's -- are discovering that <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/tip/AI-agents-are-running-wild-Secure-the-reasoning-layer-now">security and governance are crucial elements</a> to keeping agentic AI workflows in check. As agents proliferate in marketing, automations that incorporate agents, tap MCP servers and autonomously generate content or take other actions need to stick to guardrails.</p> <p>Coworker also has workflow templates that govern individual use cases, such as campaign creation <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/answer/What-are-the-different-types-of-marketing-personalization">or retargeting</a>, to keep them consistent across an enterprise's marketing operations, Sheinberg said.</p> <p>Coworker, built on <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchapparchitecture/tip/Microservices-vs-headless-architecture-A-brief-breakdown">headless architecture</a>, is available standalone or as an add-on to existing Adobe stacks. Adobe builds a custom interface for each brand using it. A self-service offering is available for smaller business or marketing departments.</p> <p><i>Don Fluckinger is a seasoned B2B technology journalist with more than 30 years of experience specializing in enterprise IT, digital experience and content management. As a senior news writer at Informa TechTarget, he delivers award-winning analysis that helps IT and business leaders navigate complex technologies to enhance customer and employee experiences. Got a tip? </i><a target="_blank" href="mailto:don.fluckinger@informatechtarget.com?subject=Tip%20from%20article" rel="noopener"><i>Email him</i></a>.</p> </section> Meet "Coworker," Adobe's answer to multi-agentic marketing workflows. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/machine_learning_g1184268577.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/news/366644437/Adobe-releases-Coworker-marketing-orchestration-super-agent Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:29:00 GMT <p>The Enterprise Connect session on 911 requirements is arguably the only topic at the conference with life-or-death implications. Get 911 wrong, and you put health and safety in danger. Without proper 911 administration, anyone who needs assistance may not reach the right emergency services call center, and first responders may not locate callers quickly.</p> <p>The panel discussion had some key takeaways and action items for anyone responsible for emergency services calling management.</p> <p><b>Editor's note:</b> <i>This article provides no legal guidance. We recommend those responsible for 911 location and call routing management consult with appropriate legal counsel to determine their organization's risk and potential liability.</i></p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="NG911 moves from planning to implementation"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>NG911 moves from planning to implementation</h2> <p>At Enterprise Connect 2024, the 911 requirements discussion shifted from <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/quiz/Test-your-knowledge-of-E911-compliance-requirements">Enhanced 911</a> (E911) toward Next Generation 911 (NG911). E911 enables 911 call centers or public safety answering points to identify a caller's location and phone number. The location could be as simple as the caller's building address, or it might include additional dispatchable location information, such as floor, wing or cubicle.</p> <p>For the last several years, various civic and government organizations, including the National Emergency Number Association (NENA), have led the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/tip/Companies-prep-for-NG911-implementation-but-hurdles-remain">development of Next Generation 911</a> (NG911), which enables callers to share more information with first responders. This could include floor plans, information on elevators and building access points, sensor data, video and more.</p> <p>While not <a target="_blank" href="https://urgentcomm.com/911/continued-pause-announced-for-california-statewide-ng911-deployment" rel="noopener">every emergency call center</a> can support NG911, deployments are increasing. Several unified communications and third-party vendors are introducing NG911 services, offering the potential for faster and more accurate responses to emergency scenarios.</p> <p>The FCC has also adopted NG911 transition rules for originating service providers. When a 911 authority makes a valid request, providers must support transition requirements that can include IP-based SIP delivery, connectivity testing, location information and interoperability with NG911 delivery points.</p> <p>NG911 can improve location handling by using more dynamic location information from systems such as location management servers, network components and GPS-capable devices. Instead of relying only on static E911 database records that can contain errors or update slowly, NG911 architectures are designed to send richer, more current data with emergency calls.</p> <p>Panelists agreed that NG911 is not just emerging. Rather, NG911 is here today, and telecom managers must take an active approach to implement it in their environments.</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> Telecom managers must stay abreast of emerging trends and technologies that help first responders locate callers and have the information they need to deal with an emergency quickly and effectively. </figure> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Local authorities can help with compliance"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Local authorities can help with compliance</h2> <p>Metrigy found that just 63.8% of the 400 organizations participating in its "Employee Engagement Optimization: 2025" <a href="https://metrigy.com/product/employee-engagement-optimization-2025/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> believed they were compliant with the two federal laws governing 911 in the U.S. The two laws are the following:</p> <ol class="default-list"> <li><b>Kari's Law</b>, which requires direct dial to 911 (no prefix), contemporaneous notification of appropriate central location and a valid callback number.</li> <li><b>RAY BAUM's Act</b>, which requires transmission of dispatchable location information to the emergency call center.</li> </ol> <p>In these situations, the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/tip/5-key-strategies-to-ensure-E911-compliance">issue of compliance</a> is clouded in uncertainty, especially for older multiline phone systems that predate the laws, remote employees and fixed-mobile services that transform mobile phones into an extension of the enterprise phone system.</p> <p>The conference panelists provided the following advice for organizations to become compliant with 911 requirements:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Seek legal guidance.</li> <li>Communicate 911 calling limitations with employees and other in-building personnel, such as contractors.</li> <li>Engage with local authorities to understand what they need to accurately respond to an emergency. Telecom managers need to communicate regularly with first responders and test their 911 configurations.</li> </ul> <div class="btt-thumbnailContainer"> <span class="btt-thumbnailTitle">Recapping Enterprise Connect 2024</span> <a class="btt-thumbnailLink" data-video-id="611743" data-channel-id="18865"> <div class="btt-thumbnailImgContainer"> <img class="btt-videoBtThumbnail" src="https://cdn.brighttalk.com/ams/california/images/communication/611743/image_974436.png?width=640&amp;height=360"> </div></a> <time class="btt-video-duration" datetime="PT18M28S">18:28</time> </div> <div class="btt-modal"> <div class="btt-modal-content"></div> </div> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Mobile phones pose problems"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Mobile phones pose problems</h2> <p>An interesting point of discussion was the shift to a mobile phone-first world. A few years ago, NENA <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nena.org/page/911statistics" rel="noopener">estimated</a> that, in many areas, 80% of 911 calls originated from mobile devices.</p> <p>However, in many cases, if employees call 911 from personal or company-provided mobile phones, those calls bypass the enterprise phone system and UCaaS provider. That means they may not trigger enterprise workflows for internal notification or provide the same level of in-building dispatchable location detail that organizations manage for MLTS and UC calling.</p> <p>First responders might arrive at a building without knowing exactly where to find the caller, and on-site personnel might not know about the call. In addition, companies that rely solely on mobile phones must ensure they don't have dead spots that inhibit employees from making 911 calls in an emergency.</p> <p>Some vendor services enable companies to geofence their offices. In these cases, when a person inside a building calls 911, the 911 operator can see more detailed location information, and the front desk security personnel receive a notification. In addition, wireless 911 location rules and emerging location technologies are improving vertical, or z-axis, location information, which can help first responders identify a caller’s floor in multistory buildings, enabling them to reach the caller.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Track emerging trends"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Track emerging trends</h2> <p>911 isn't sexy. It doesn't get the attention of AI. And investing in 911 is an employee safety and risk avoidance move, not one that generates revenue.</p> <p>But 911 is the only topic in the telecom world with life-or-death implications. Those responsible for telecom management must get it right. Telecom managers must stay abreast of emerging trends and technologies that help first responders locate callers and have the information they need to deal with an emergency quickly and effectively.</p> <p><b>Editor's note:</b> <i>This article was updated to improve the reader experience.</i></p> <p><i>Irwin Lazar is president and principal analyst at Metrigy, where he leads coverage on the digital workplace. His research focus includes unified communications, VoIP, video conferencing and team collaboration.</i></p> </section> Next Generation 911 supports richer emergency communications and better location data. Learn what NG911 means for enterprise 911 compliance, mobile calls and risk. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/check_g496816315.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/tip/Enhanced-911-transitions-to-Next-Generation-911 Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:20:00 GMT <p>With the rise of AI, the need for specialized low-latency processing to rapidly produce and render images, videos and 3D graphics is surging. GPUs, which can run thousands of mathematical operations, are foundational to facilitating the development and deployment of AI-driven applications. But global demand for GPU-centric computing has exceeded hyperscaler capacity. Specialized providers emerged to deliver GPU-as-a-service platforms, known as <i>neocloud</i>.</p> <p>Neoclouds offer high-performance GPU compute power essential for <ins datetime="2026-05-28T11:15" cite="mailto:Darah,%20Deanna"><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/feature/Infrastructure-for-machine-learning-AI-requirements-examples">AI and machine learning workloads</a></ins>. These specialized, purpose-built clouds provide dense GPU clusters and ultra-low-latency interconnects to support accelerated, power-efficient processing for AI and ML tasks. Neoclouds give organizations access to on-demand GPU clusters, typically bare metal, without requiring clients to sign up for the extensive set of adjacent services associated with hyperscaler engagements. &nbsp;</p> <p>These GPU clusters can be located at the edge, closer to content creation and consumption points, to alleviate latency issues. Vendors recognize the AI opportunity as a significant revenue opportunity, projecting the pipeline for connectivity in this <ins datetime="2026-05-28T10:40" cite="mailto:Darah,%20Deanna"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/nvidia-invest-2-billion-ai-cloud-firm-nebius-2026-03-11/" rel="noopener">$2 billion sector.</a></ins></p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Raising the design quotient"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Raising the design quotient</h2> <p>So, how does a neocloud interconnection architecture <ins datetime="2026-05-28T10:45" cite="mailto:Darah,%20Deanna"><a href="https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/ai-data-centers/neoclouds-vs-hyperscalers-will-ai-s-specialized-clouds-prevail-">differ from traditional cloud infrastructure</a></ins>? The compute performance required to support AI workloads necessitates ultra-high-bandwidth, low-latency network connectivity.</p> <p>To support GPU clusters, neocloud providers often use a dual-network approach with the following:</p> <ul type="disc" class="default-list"> <li>A conventional front-end Ethernet network for user traffic.</li> <li>A second high-performance backend fabric network.</li> </ul> <p>The second network is dedicated to GPU-to-GPU communication, enabling AI <ins datetime="2026-05-28T10:50" cite="mailto:Darah,%20Deanna"><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/cluster">clusters</a></ins> to process high volumes of internal data flows. This setup ensures optimal performance without the bottlenecks that happen on a traditional cloud network.&nbsp;</p> <p>Neoclouds often use <ins datetime="2026-05-28T11:34" cite="mailto:Darah,%20Deanna"><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/network-fabric">network fabrics</a></ins> such as InfiniBand because the technology delivers greater bandwidth and lower latency than traditional data center Ethernet connectivity to support parallel GPU workload processing. This fabric removes networking overhead that can impede sizable AI training tasks.</p> <p>Unlike conventional cloud networks built to move north-south client-server traffic, neocloud interconnections need to be optimized for east-west data transfer between servers. In a neocloud, the GPU network must move significant synchronization traffic for distributed AI training <ins datetime="2026-05-28T11:07" cite="mailto:Darah,%20Deanna"><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/answer/How-to-test-for-packet-loss-on-a-broadband-connection">without packet loss</a></ins>. The neocloud network, in essence, is a high-performance computing cluster interconnect that supports potentially thousands of GPUs working simultaneously without throughput barriers.</p> <p>Because these networks are dedicated to AI workloads, the isolation eliminates the contention and jitter typical of a multi-tenant network. This enables the consistent, predictable performance required for AI.</p> <p>Organizations must ensure their networking procedures are aligned with neocloud architectures. Instead of handling conventional branch-to-data center transfers, SASE networks handle high-throughput AI model training and inference traffic. SASE and SD-WAN policies are necessary to ensure high bandwidth and minimal packet loss for data-intensive training sets.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Rising to the challenge"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Rising to the challenge</h2> <p>Neoclouds can provide the foundation organizations need to develop and deploy AI-driven applications. But the inherent complexity of integration and connectivity differs from that in conventional cloud environments. Unlike hyperscaler clouds, which typically offer easy entry points and peering for enterprise interconnections, neoclouds don't use public internet exchanges. This can cause erratic latency and throughput. This places the onus on network operations teams to build bespoke connections.</p> <p>The intensive computing requirements in a neocloud environment mean AI performance can take a hit if the network isn't up to the task. In many cases, neocloud providers are still expanding capacity. This can hamper scalability and performance.</p> <p>Because neoclouds are so nascent, mature hyperscaler environments could lack certain security and observability features. The responsibility to build these capabilities could fall to enterprise security and operations teams. Neocloud providers also tend to offer fewer tools and have more limited partner ecosystems than their hyperscaler peers. This places an additional burden on customers who likely lack the internal neocloud skillset.</p> <p>For organizations that already navigate the challenge of managing a multi-cloud environment, neocloud adds another layer of complexity. From a networking perspective, this translates into more involved <ins datetime="2026-05-28T11:11" cite="mailto:Darah,%20Deanna"><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/feature/BGP-tutorial-The-routing-protocol-that-makes-the-Internet-work">routing and policy management</a></ins>.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="On the flip side"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>On the flip side</h2> <p>Neoclouds can provide a path forward for optimal multi-cloud computing by providing an environment dedicated to the specific requirements of AI applications while maintaining standard infrastructure for general workloads. In other words, neocloud is not a replacement for conventional cloud, but a parallel specialized environment.</p> <p>From a cost perspective, neoclouds promise cost savings of 50% to 70% compared to <ins datetime="2026-05-28T11:14" cite="mailto:Darah,%20Deanna"><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/feature/FinOps-can-manage-AI-computing-costs-experts-say">running AI compute in conventional public clouds</a></ins>. Because neoclouds are designed specifically for AI workloads, they rely on infrastructure and capabilities such as advanced liquid cooling to deliver faster model training and more efficient GPU utilization.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Best practices for neocloud success"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Best practices for neocloud success</h2> <p>Some organizations might feel rushed to develop AI-driven applications that produce desired business outcomes. For neocloud deployment, however, enterprises should consider many factors in advance. Two of the most important questions organizations should ask are the following:</p> <ol type="1" start="1" class="default-list"> <li>Does the architecture map to business objectives?</li> <li>Is the planned application aligned with an organization's mission?</li> </ol> <p>With AI mandates being set across enterprises, it can create a rushed mentality toward developing AI-driven applications that produce desired business outcomes.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Businesses need to produce a consistent network model across clouds while creating policy variations that meet workload requirements. Cost also needs to be part of the equation. Inefficient deployments have plagued multi-cloud implementations, which drive up expenses and reduce dividends. Enterprises need to approach the total costs of neocloud connectivity with this in mind.</p> <p>Network standards and the ability to move workloads to secondary environments are key issues that need to be addressed. A neocloud environment where critical AI workloads run must be resilient from the beginning.</p> <p><em>Amy Larsen DeCarlo has covered the IT industry for more than 30 years, as a journalist, editor and analyst. As a principal analyst at GlobalData, she covers managed security and cloud services.</em></p> </section> Demand for computational power optimized for AI is driving the rise of the neocloud, but can the transport infrastructure keep up with the pace of change? https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/cloud_g1297025236.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/How-neocloud-is-influencing-network-connectivity Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:15:00 GMT <p>Due to the growing popularity of AI-enabled development, the market for AI coding tools is getting increasingly crowded. Organizations can choose from context-aware integrated development environments (IDEs) and editors like Replit and Google Antigravity, autonomous coding agents such as Claude Code, coding assistants like <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsoftwarequality/news/366623845/New-GitHub-Copilot-agent-edges-into-DevOps">GitHub Copilot</a> and Sourcegraph Cody, and generative AI (GenAI) platforms such as ChatGPT. Together, these tools are making custom development faster, easier and more accessible.</p> <p>These benefits notwithstanding, this modern development approach also presents several limitations and challenges.</p> <p>This article explores how AI lowers development barriers for three categories of enterprise software. It also unpacks the limitations of AI-assisted development and provides guidance to help organizations navigate the tradeoffs between building custom software and buying ready-made suites.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="UCC: Build or buy?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>UCC: Build or buy?</h2> <p>A unified communications and collaboration (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/definition/unified-communications-and-collaboration-UCC">UCC</a>) platform integrates multiple communication capabilities into a single, centralized, cohesive ecosystem. This eases business collaboration and enables seamless communication mobility for remote or hybrid teams.</p> <h3>Where custom AI shines</h3> <p>AI tools accelerate UCC software development by automating coding, testing, debugging and even providing documentation so that companies can launch messaging, video calling, virtual whiteboards and other features much faster compared with traditional development approaches. With AI assistance, developers can easily create custom collaboration workflows, integrations, automations and features tailored to the needs of specific organizations. They can also use GenAI tools and AI agents to build custom chatbots, test and debug the platform and even prepare user documentation.</p> <h3>Where suites win</h3> <p>While AI is changing how organizations build, customize and optimize UCC platforms, readily available UCC platforms like Microsoft Teams and Zoom also offer several advantages, including prebuilt integrations to accelerate organization-wide UCC deployment and ease platform scalability.</p> <p>Another advantage of buying a UCC suite is that UCC vendors manage all code updates. This lowers the customer firm's maintenance costs and reduces its operational complexity. Vendor-led maintenance can also help keep integrations and connections functional, relevant and reliable as connected systems evolve, though customers still need to govern configurations, APIs and custom workflows.</p> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/feature/Explore-unified-communication-products-for-your-organization">Popular UCC products</a> include Microsoft Teams, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/definition/Cisco-Webex">Cisco Webex</a>, Zoom Workplace and Slack.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/microsoft_teams_phone_vs_cisco_webex_calling-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/microsoft_teams_phone_vs_cisco_webex_calling-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/microsoft_teams_phone_vs_cisco_webex_calling-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/microsoft_teams_phone_vs_cisco_webex_calling-f.png 1280w" alt="Table comparing Microsoft Teams Phone features against Cisco Webex Calling features" height="482" width="560"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Microsoft Teams and Cisco Webex are two popular collaboration platforms with integrated support, analytics and auto attendant features. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <h3>What to consider</h3> <p>AI tools can generate code for UCC platforms much faster than human developers. However, AI-generated code may contain inefficient logic that introduces latency and degrades user experience. AI tools can also create "buggy" or insecure code. A 2026 IOActive <a href="https://www.ioactive.com/the-security-gap-in-ai-generated-code/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> found that 31.6% of the AI-generated code samples it tested were fully vulnerable, with exploitable security flaws. The finding underscores the need for human review, secure development practices and security testing before AI-generated code reaches production.</p> <p>AI-generated code can also be difficult to maintain over time if development teams lack visibility into how the code was produced. Dependence on proprietary AI development environments and intellectual property theft are some of the other risks of AI-assisted UCC development.</p> <p>Of course, purchasing a commercial UCC product also involves certain tradeoffs between benefits and drawbacks.</p> <p>For one, its features may not fully align with an organization's unique workflows or operational requirements. They could also face integration challenges when connecting custom workflows to other enterprise systems, such as CRM or ERP. Also, as business needs evolve, maintaining and updating custom features can increase long-term costs.</p> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchdatacenter/definition/vendor-lock-in">Vendor lock-in</a> is another significant drawback. Depending on a single UCC vendor limits an organization's flexibility. Migrating to a different vendor or product can also be costly. Off-the-shelf UCC suites also require ongoing governance to ensure compliance with data privacy and security standards.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="ERP and SCM: Build or buy?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>ERP and SCM: Build or buy?</h2> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searcherp/definition/ERP-enterprise-resource-planning">ERP</a> and supply chain management (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searcherp/definition/supply-chain-management-SCM">SCM</a>) platforms are critical for enabling companies to unify core processes, streamline operations, reduce costs and respond more effectively to business disruptions.</p> <h3>Where custom AI shines</h3> <p>AI enables companies to build custom modules and interfaces for ERP and SCM systems, particularly when standard systems do not address their specific business needs. AI simplifies the creation of automations and workflows within ERP and SCM, reducing manual development effort and operational costs. AI tools can also ease the integration of advanced demand forecasting tools and capabilities such as intelligent inventory optimization, anomaly detection and automated reporting.</p> <p>Lenovo offers one example of how AI can support supply chain planning and disruption response. A May 2026 NC State University Supply Chain Resource Cooperative <a href="https://scm.ncsu.edu/scm-articles/article/building-the-intelligent-supply-chain" target="_blank" rel="noopener">case study</a> described Lenovo's in-house AI-powered supply chain platform, iChain, which uses company data and external signals to support risk sensing, planning and decision intelligence. In it, Jack Fiedler, Lenovo's senior vice president of global supply chain, described how the hardware supplier used AI to <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366640549/AI-infrastructure-investment-in-the-Middle-East-enters-a-new-geopolitical-reality" target="_blank" rel="noopener">monitor geopolitical events</a> and anticipate potential logistics disruptions, such as airspace closures, so teams could develop mitigation plans earlier.</p> <h3>Where suites win</h3> <p>While AI is transforming ERP and SCM development, it also has several limitations.</p> <p>Building enterprise platforms internally -- even with user-friendly AI tools -- requires substantial, expensive human expertise across a wide variety of areas, including infrastructure, cybersecurity, governance and code maintenance. Another problem is that generic AI models lack visibility into firms' unique configurations, module interactions and master data hierarchies unless they are securely grounded in internal code, documentation and system context. This visibility gap could limit the system's reliability. It could also lead to data corruption and hinder cross-system decision-making.</p> <p>AI-generated ERP/SCM architectures might contain security vulnerabilities, logic inconsistencies or governance gaps. Without rigorous human oversight and secure development controls, AI-generated code can introduce authorization gaps, injection risks, hardcoded credentials or other vulnerabilities into production environments. Finally, AI tools could generate obsolete or incorrect code, making it harder to maintain a reliable system in the long-term.</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> Without rigorous human oversight and secure development controls, AI-generated code can introduce authorization gaps, injection risks, hardcoded credentials or other vulnerabilities into production environments. </figure> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> <p>Companies can avoid these problems by investing in commercial ERP/SCM suites.</p> <p>Mature, enterprise-grade ERP and SCM suites from reliable vendors are designed with industry-specific best practices baked in. These products reduce implementation timelines and risk. They also integrate numerous core processes and features into a centralized platform to reduce data silos and improve workflow coordination. Additionally, most vendors offer ongoing support in the form of system monitoring, continuous quality checks and security patches, so organizations don't need to maintain large, expensive in-house maintenance tools and teams.</p> <p>Popular ERP platforms include SAP Cloud ERP, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searcherp/news/366640636/Oracle-calls-Fusion-Agentic-Applications-next-level-AI-for-ERP">Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP</a> and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance, while SAP Integrated Business Planning, Oracle Fusion Cloud SCM, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management and Blue Yonder are major SCM or supply chain planning options.</p> <h3>What to consider</h3> <p>Off-the-shelf products might not fully align with an organization's unique operational workflows or integrate well with its legacy systems, so enterprises might need to build, update and manage custom-built components. These activities require specialized, hard-to-find talent that can increase operational costs.</p> <p>Another challenge: If the workflows and modules are not properly maintained or integrated with core systems, the organization's technical debt could increase. Poor integration -- especially in combination with weak governance -- can also create security or compliance issues, increasing the risk of data loss and compliance violations.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="CX: Build or buy?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>CX: Build or buy?</h2> <p>Customer experience (<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/definition/customer-experience-CX">CX</a>) platforms collect and analyze customer feedback, behavioral signals, service interactions and journey data to help companies reduce friction in customer journeys and deliver more personalized, consistent experiences.</p> <h3>Where custom AI shines</h3> <p>GenAI- and agentic-AI powered development tools are increasingly transforming how organizations build CX platforms. AI tools reduce the time and effort required to launch, enhance or modernize them. Organizations can also incorporate advanced capabilities into the platforms, such as intelligent routing, real-time customer insights, personalized recommendation engines or sentiment analysis dashboards. Additionally, developers can use AI to improve customer engagement across digital channels by setting up automated chatbots.</p> <p>Vodafone offers one example of AI-enabled customer care development. Using Microsoft's GenAI tools, the company developed SuperTOBi and SuperAgent to improve customer self-service and help customer care agents respond to complex queries more efficiently.</p> <figure class="main-article-image full-col" data-img-fullsize="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/key_attributes_of_agentic_ai_vs_generative_ai-f.png"> <img data-src="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/key_attributes_of_agentic_ai_vs_generative_ai-f_mobile.png" class="lazy" data-srcset="https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/key_attributes_of_agentic_ai_vs_generative_ai-f_mobile.png 960w,https://www.techtarget.com/rms/onlineimages/key_attributes_of_agentic_ai_vs_generative_ai-f.png 1280w" alt="Table comparing agentic and generative AI key attributes" height="330" width="559"> <figcaption> <i class="icon pictures" data-icon="z"></i>Advances in both agentic AI and GenAI are transforming the development of CX platforms. </figcaption> <div class="main-article-image-enlarge"> <i class="icon" data-icon="w"></i> </div> </figure> <h3>Where suites win</h3> <p>While AI can be a game-changer for CX platform development, relying heavily on AI tools may create several problems for organizations, including security and compliance risks. CX AI systems often need access to large volumes of customer interaction data for grounding, personalization, evaluation or fine-tuning, which raises privacy, security and governance requirements. Without strong security guardrails, human oversight and governance, this data is vulnerable to manipulation and theft, opening up serious compliance and legal liabilities for organizations.</p> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/Security-risks-of-AI-generated-code-and-how-to-manage-them">AI-generated code might also contain hidden security vulnerabilities</a> or flawed logic that could affect the platform's reliability. Additionally, AI-generated code might not properly connect with other enterprise systems, such as CRM or marketing automation. Integration gaps can lead to incomplete or outdated customer records or broken workflows, resulting in fragmented or inconsistent CX and potentially damaging customer trust and brand reputation. Lastly, AI-generated CX architectures could be difficult and expensive to troubleshoot and maintain, particularly in complex enterprise environments with dense integrations and evolving requirements.</p> <p>CX suites can help companies to avoid the challenges of AI-assisted development. Commercial products provide prebuilt integrations, eliminating the need for costly custom development and enabling seamless syncing of data across all departments, business systems (e.g., CRM, ticketing systems) and communication channels.</p> <p>Many platforms also provide numerous mature capabilities out of the box, such as customer journey orchestration, sentiment analysis, predictive recommendations, analytics, personalization, workflow automation and chatbots. These capabilities enable organizations to better understand customers and meet their CX expectations -- without significantly increasing implementation timelines, cost or risk. Additionally, CX platforms from established vendors typically include security, privacy and compliance controls that can help organizations meet regulatory obligations, but customers still need to configure, govern and document how customer data is processed.</p> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/feature/Best-customer-experience-management-software">Popular CX platforms</a> include <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/news/366643472/Zendesk-adds-AI-tools-in-pursuit-of-autonomous-service">Zendesk</a>, Qualtrics CustomerXM, Salesforce Service Cloud and Adobe Experience Cloud.</p> <h3>What to consider</h3> <p>Significant human effort and expertise may be needed to integrate custom CX offerings with some business systems. Also, customization can be limited by vendor architecture, licensing models and integration constraints, preventing organizations from tailoring the system to their unique workflows or customer segments. Thirdly, organizations might incur additional costs to scale custom features to handle increased customer data and traffic, add third-party digital channels, and maintain and update the platform.</p> <p>Lastly, they might have limited control over how the platform processes sensitive customer data. In-house governance weaknesses could make it difficult to manage data privacy and ensure compliance with stringent regulations such as GDPR.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Which approach is better?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Which approach is better?</h2> <p>To choose the right paradigm, leaders need to carefully weigh the benefits of each against its tradeoffs in governance, integration, staffing, technical debt and ongoing costs. It is equally important to ensure that build vs. buy decisions align with broader business objectives and operational realities.</p> <p>Organizations pursuing AI-driven innovation can realize significant benefits. However, AI also shifts governance, integration responsibility and long-term cost management <i>back</i> onto the enterprise. The key to low-risk AI-enabled development is to adopt a strategic approach that balances opportunity with risk. By doing so, organizations can create successful, AI-forward operating models.</p> <p><i>Rahul Awati is a PMP-certified project manager with IT infrastructure experience spanning storage, compute and enterprise networking.</i></p> </section> AI is making custom development more accessible, but it also shifts governance, integration responsibility and long-term cost back onto the enterprise. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/collab_a275903017.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterprisedesktop/feature/How-AI-is-reshaping-the-software-build-vs-buy-decision Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:58:00 GMT <p>Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk <a href="https://www.novonordisk.com/content/nncorp/global/en/news-and-media/news-and-ir-materials/news-details.html?id=916571">disclosed</a> an IT security incident involving unauthorized access to personal data stored on its internal IT systems pertaining to clinical trial participants. The company, which produces the popular GLP-1 drug Ozempic, said its operations were not impacted by the incident.</p> <p>Upon discovery, Novo Nordisk said it immediately launched an investigation and engaged external cybersecurity experts. Internal IT systems were temporarily taken offline to protect the company's environment and will be brought back online in a controlled manner.</p> <p>"While our investigation and response are ongoing, we have discovered that certain non-public data, including personal data, were copied externally without authorization," the company said in a press release. "We are informing the impacted parties as appropriate."</p> <p>The categories of impacted information included patient IDs, sex, year of birth, biomarkers, health and immunogenicity data and lifestyle factors.</p> <p>In a later update, Novo Nordisk clarified that the affected information is not "directly linked to any patients by name or other direct identifiers."</p> <p>"We therefore do not consider the incident to enable any third party to identify participants in our clinical trials," the company stated.</p> <p>Novo Nordisk said there was no need for patients to take any specific action as a result of the incident.</p> <p>"We do, however, recommend that our patients remain vigilant and report to us if anything unusual is encountered that is believed could be linked to the incident," the company said.</p> <p><em>Jill Hughes has covered health tech news since 2021. Her coverage areas include cybersecurity, HIPAA compliance, interoperability, AI and EHRs.</em></p> The pharmaceutical giant said it identified an IT security incident that affected a limited amount of information about clinical trial participants. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/health%20security_g1498635238.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/healthtechsecurity/news/366644376/Novo-Nordisk-discloses-data-breach-impacting-clinical-trial-participants Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:14:00 GMT <p>From a manual business with 130 depots and a vast inventory of hire equipment, to an Uber-like digital marketplace that is set to <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/resources/Artificial-intelligence-automation-and-robotics">deploy AI agents</a> to resolve customer queries, all with a vast <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366638839/Half-of-Googles-software-development-now-AI-generated">improvement in developer productivity</a>.</p> <p>That’s the journey taken by <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366640327/HSS-ProService-Uber-ifies-with-functional-programming-and-agentic-AI">HSS ProService</a>, formerly HSS Hire Group – established in 1947 – which last October sold its physical rental operations to a private equity firm and became a pure-play digital conduit between construction customers and suppliers.</p> <p>We talk to CEO Tom Shorten about how the newly branded HSS ProService became the digital hub of an “Uber-ified” business that pairs construction managers with a network of suppliers to provide tools, equipment, fuel, training and building materials.</p> <p>He tells us about the inspiration that led to the transformation – Brenda, the nerve centre of the digital marketplace – and his Tower One to Tower Two approach to migrating to the new systems.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What have you digitised and how would you describe the journey?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What have you digitised and how would you describe the journey?</h2> <p>Historically, HSS was a truly analogue hire business, where someone would walk into a branch and ask for a piece of kit, and you’d write it on a piece of paper, a slip. We eventually started using green screen computer programmes to manage that. I mean, it’s still a green screen industry. They’re using F10, F9, F8 prompts on the keyboard to move through logic.</p> <p>Our journey started to change because we started to understand that buyers don’t mind where the kit comes from as long as it turns up on time and it works. That gave us an opportunity to be just a broker of this kit – to give a fantastic experience and own the relationship with the customer and supplier, but not own the assets.&nbsp;</p> <p>We had a business within the business called OneCall, where we did that, really successfully. That was really the acorn. It was fascinating to me that a customer would call one of our sales guys, he’d see we don’t own that piece of kit, call another supplier, and the customer would get what they wanted. We’d sit in the middle and make a turn on it. That acorn grew into the idea of “let’s digitise that”.&nbsp;</p> <p>So, if a customer logged onto our platform and said, “I want one of these on this day”, and we have all the details we need, the system runs off to a supplier and says, “Hey, look, we’ve got this opportunity for you, hit here to accept”.</p> <p>It comes back and we put the two together, and that’s effectively the nuts and bolts of a marketplace algorithm. So, we started to build out that journey.&nbsp;</p> <p>When we started, about 5% of our orders were going through the .com site, so we digitalised orders. Now it’s anywhere between 40% and 45% purely via the web. The rest is via phone, email, chat.&nbsp;</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Are the orders that come in via phone, email, etc, still digitised after that?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Are the orders that come in via phone, email, etc, still digitised after that?</h2> <p>Imagine a Rubik’s Cube in the middle of our business, and that Rubik’s Cube has got a supplier interface, a colleague interface, a customer interface, an admin interface and a tech interface.&nbsp;</p> <p>What happens is, however the order comes in, it always ends up in that.&nbsp;</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> The challenge has been to move at the speed the market will allow you to move at. There’s no point in trying to get ahead of the market because that’s not great for business </figure> <figcaption> <strong>Tom Shorten, HSS ProService</strong> </figcaption> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> <p>We call that Brenda. That’s the mothership of our business. In any office, there’s someone who knows everything, and it’s typically a lady, and she knows everything. So, we named our system Brenda. And however it comes in – from .com, from a phone call, WhatsApp, or whatever it is – it ends up in there.&nbsp;</p> <p>The algorithm works to provide the best supplier for that customer, for that product, and we put it in the supplier portal for that supplier to look at it and accept the order.</p> <p>We were an organisation where we owned a load of kit. We’ve pivoted all the way to owning no kit. We manage customer relationships and supplier relationships. The supplier delivers the kit, services the kit, and picks up the kit. We manage the customer relationship to ensure that all goes as smoothly as possible for our customer.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Could you sum up the challenges inherent in the process of moving from a real-world model to a fully digitised business?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Could you sum up the challenges inherent in the process of moving from a real-world model to a fully digitised business?</h2> <p>The first thing is that the build of the technology has to be right, and that’s a really challenging thing to do for hire. There’s also <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Culture-eats-technology-in-digital-transformation">a cultural challenge</a>, because lots of our salespeople historically have gone out and sold on the basis that it was our kit and they were comfortable with our kit. What they have to do now is trust the fact that we will find the best kit for the customer, which isn’t our kit. And that is a different nuance for someone who’s been selling hire for a long time.&nbsp;</p> <p>Also, for some of our customers who had always effectively gone to a branch to pick up a piece of kit, we spent a lot of time explaining to them how this new way of working would work for them and why it would be beneficial. The challenge has been to move at the speed the market will allow you to move at. There’s no point in trying to get ahead of the market because that’s not great for business.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What were the challenges on the technical side of the transition? What did the crossover period between the two models look like?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What were the challenges on the technical side of the transition? What did the crossover period between the two models look like?</h2> <p>I didn’t try for a “crossover”. We did it like this. Imagine Tower One was our old business. I didn’t try to grow the new business in Tower One. I created Tower Two, and with a different tech team built Tower Two. And then I moved people into Tower Two. I didn’t create a drawbridge.&nbsp;</p> <p>I knew from previous experience that if you try to take a legacy organisation and grow a new change, you’ll spend years convincing people and you’ll have the wrong skillset.&nbsp;</p> <p>So, [CTO] Daniele [Turi]’s team was totally separate to the legacy IT team. We built new foundations and we grew anew all the way up, including brand, culture, look and feel – everything.&nbsp;</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="We’re in the AI era with automation and agents, so what’s next?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>We’re in the AI era with automation and agents, so what’s next?&nbsp;</h2> <p>We’re developing agents now to do what we call highly repetitive tasks in an environment. For example, if a customer wants a proof of delivery, at the moment one of our team might have to call up the supplier, hunt down a proof of delivery, can’t get hold of the right person, etc. All that now is going to be done through AI on an associated timeline.</p> <p>For every single contract, we’ll be able to visualise the status and the AI agents will work to update the data required to satisfy the customer need. We’re building those AI agents ourselves.&nbsp;</p> <p>We’re really lucky with our team. They’ve upskilled themselves to use Cloud Code really, really well, and now we don’t write any code at all in our business. We think we’ve probably got 10 times the output from our IT team. We’re running at two-week sprints into delivery. Software engineering has changed forever in our business.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Looking back at the platform’s scaling journey, what is one major architectural or strategic decision you would approach differently today?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Looking back at the platform’s scaling journey, what is one major architectural or strategic decision you would approach differently today?</h2> <p>The one I would mention is an architectural debate about what platform to use and how we make management information available for reporting.&nbsp;</p> <p>We ended up with a system called Metabase, which is a really good dashboard and analytics platform. You can go as deep as you want to go, down to the nth crumb, as it were. We had been using other systems, and when our new head of data science came in, they suggested we park Metabase over the top of the data lake and shut down all the other things.&nbsp;</p> <p>We didn’t do that at first, because we were scared. But the implementation of Meta as a management tool was foundational to enabling the flow of data that our teams can understand. Prior to that, we had a lot of data, but not a lot of it was understood. So Meta brought data literacy into our business.</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about digital transformation</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366640327/HSS-ProService-Uber-ifies-with-functional-programming-and-agentic-AI">HSS ProService ‘Uber-ifies’ with functional programming and agentic AI</a>: HSS’s pivot from 130-depot hire business to a digital-only marketplace to handle messy transactions and old-school processes in the construction sector.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366617867/Metro-mayors-face-similar-digitisation-challenges-to-banks-but-lack-their-resources">Metro mayors face similar digitisation challenges to banks, but lack their resources</a>: UK regional leaders want to be independent of central government when it comes to digital transformation decision-making, but don’t fully understand what’s ahead.</li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> HSS ProService underwent a profound transformation from asset-heavy hire business to digital marketplace set to deploy agentic AI. CEO Tom Shorten tells us how it did it https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/HeroImages/Rubiks-cube-puzzle-project-vitranc-getty-RF-hero.jpg https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/The-digital-pivot-How-HSS-transformed-hire-with-agentic-AI Fri, 12 Jun 2026 13:24:00 GMT <p>Laboratory services company Labcorp has agreed to a $35 million <a href="https://www.amcadatabreachsettlement83395.com/documents">settlement</a> in a class-action lawsuit stemming from its third-party debt-collection vendor. From August 2018 to March 2019, American Medical Collection Agency, a now-defunct company specializing in small-balance medical debt collection, experienced a data breach that affected more than 21 million individuals, including more than 10 million Labcorp patients.</p> <p>The breach occurred when hackers gained access to AMCA's systems and compromised patients' Social Security numbers, payment information and medical test and diagnostic codes.</p> <p>In the wake of the breach, several class-action lawsuits were filed and later consolidated into a single case in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. The plaintiffs alleged negligence and breach of contract over Labcorp's handling of the third-party incident, which the company denied.</p> <p>According to the settlement agreement, the parties aimed to avoid prolonged litigation. Class members can submit claim forms for up to $5,000 if they can document out-of-pocket losses resulting from the breach, including losses related to legal services and credit monitoring. Alternatively, they can submit a claim form for $50 with no proof required. Class members may also receive two years of medical information monitoring and identity theft insurance.</p> <p>The final settlement approval hearing will be held on Aug. 20, 2026.</p> <p>This settlement specifically resolves allegations against Labcorp. AMCA has also faced legal challenges due to the breach. For example, in 2021, 41 attorneys general resolved a multistate investigation into the breach, initially holding the company liable for a $21 million payment. The payment was later suspended due to AMCA's financial troubles.</p> <p>The multistate coalition also required AMCA to improve its data security practices by creating an incident response plan and hiring a third-party assessor to perform an information security assessment.</p> <p>AMCA <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-17/american-medical-collection-agency-parent-files-for-bankruptcy">filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy</a> after the breach and is no longer in business.</p> <p><em>Jill Hughes has covered health tech news since 2021. Her coverage areas include cybersecurity, HIPAA compliance, interoperability, AI and EHRs.</em></p> Labcorp settled a class-action lawsuit to resolve litigation stemming from a massive 2018-19 data breach at American Medical Collection Agency, a third-party medical debt collector. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/security_a299192530.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/healthtechsecurity/news/366644474/Labcorp-reaches-35M-settlement-over-American-Medical-Collection-Agency-breach Fri, 12 Jun 2026 13:12:00 GMT <p>A little foresight can go a long way to support an ERP implementation. COOs or other C-suite members serving as the project sponsor should be proactive about ensuring the team is planning the right steps for the post-implementation process.</p> <p>Reaching a new ERP system's go-live milestones is crucial for a successful rollout, but important work remains after go-live. The implementation team might have needed to postpone some issues until after the go-live date, and some specific tasks must wait until after go-live regardless. C-suite leaders should understand that completion of post-implementation tasks can make or break an ERP system's adoption.</p> <p>Here are the tasks the project team should carry out post-ERP implementation as well as how they can prepare before go-live so they're set up for success.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="1. Focus on ERP training"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>1. Focus on ERP training</h2> <p>A small selection of employees might begin training before go-live. But the main training period will usually occur right after go-live, when the implementation and training team makes sure all employees and external users acquire the knowledge needed to use the new system. This is also an opportunity for the training team to refine their training material based on early feedback from the training sessions they run.</p> <p>To make the training easier for employees, project leaders should consider building and regularly adding to an FAQ that compiles questions from employees as employees send them and making sure the FAQ provides clear answers.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="2. Finalize process documentation"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>2. Finalize process documentation</h2> <p>The ERP implementation likely involved updates like automating manual processes or changing an existing process to fit within the new ERP's functionality.</p> <p>The ERP configuration team should have kept much of the process documentation up to date during configuration. After the implementation, the team should carry out a final review of the documents and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/opinion/Succession-in-the-world-of-ERP">simplify the instructions</a>&nbsp;on how to use the documents, if needed.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="3. Prioritize outstanding issues"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>3. Prioritize outstanding issues</h2> <p>Often some issues aren't resolved during the final testing phase and before go-live. Project leaders should make sure the tasks that were previously postponed aren't forgotten after the go-live.</p> <p>COOs should ensure the project manager has scheduled a meeting with key stakeholders shortly after go-live so the project manager can review the outstanding issues and prioritize them for resolution against any new issues reported post go-live.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="4. Respond to user questions"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>4. Respond to user questions</h2> <p>ERP system&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searcherp/feature/Top-change-management-tips-for-ERP-implementation-success">users will inevitably have questions</a>&nbsp;after go-live, no matter how well training is conducted. The ERP project team should make sure users know who to contact for answers.</p> <p>In addition, if external parties are accessing the ERP system, they might need different contact options than internal users.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="5. Schedule project update meetings"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>5. Schedule project update meetings</h2> <p>Once the ERP system is live, key stakeholders will&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searcherp/answer/What-is-a-commonly-overlooked-step-in-an-ERP-implementation">continue to request updates</a>. For example, they might ask for information on deferred issues, identify new ones, ask for statistics on system usage and request updates on how the project is tracking against KPIs.</p> <p>The project team must continue providing updates and producing dashboards until everyone agrees the project is closed or the next phase of the project is initiated.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="6. Carry out data migration"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>6. Carry out data migration</h2> <p>The implementation project team might not have migrated all the historical data during the project because&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searcherp/tip/5-ERP-implementation-best-practices-CIOs-should-know">the data is old</a>&nbsp;and of a lower priority. The organization also might have decided not to include the historical data in the new ERP because it will be stored in a separate system.</p> <p>If the historical data will be stored in the new ERP, then the project team will need to take care of the data migration following go-live.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="7. Clean up data"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>7. Clean up data</h2> <p>After go-live, the project team might need to quickly resolve issues with some of the migrated data.</p> <p>These issues might not have been resolved before because of a tight deadline for the data migration or because decisions made during the data migration process might need to be reversed now. For example, the team might have created duplicate records for the same vendor during the data migration, and the team needs to delete the duplicates.</p> <p>The team might also find previously unknown errors that they missed during the data migration process. For example, the data conversion scripts might have changed the data in an unexpected way.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="8. Carry out a post-implementation review"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>8. Carry out a post-implementation review</h2> <p>Shortly after go-live, the project leader should arrange meetings to discuss the project and document what went well and what could be improved in a future release or for the next IT project. Depending on the size of the project team, it may be necessary to schedule multiple meetings to make sure everyone has a chance to submit feedback. Also, having different meetings for different stakeholder groups can keep each meeting focused on topics relevant to attendees. For example, a vendor may have had a different experience than someone in the finance department or a technical resource assigned to the project.</p> <p>The project leader may want to use multiple mediums to capture feedback, including in-person and remote meetings as well as surveys and informal discussions to gather input.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="9. Offboard departing team members"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>9. Offboard departing team members</h2> <p>Team members often move on to other projects shortly after the go-live milestone. Before that happens, project leaders should make sure departing team members finish any necessary tasks.</p> <p>These tasks might include finalizing implementation documents, completing any outstanding expense reports and timesheets and potentially training another team member on their area of responsibility.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="10. Complete project closeout"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>10. Complete project closeout</h2> <p>Once the implementation is complete, the team might need to complete some specific tasks to officially close the project.</p> <p>Tasks include finalizing all the necessary documents, ensuring the software development code is stored properly, finalizing payments and confirming that all tasks that were outstanding at go-live are complete. If the project will continue with a next phase, then these activities should focus on closing the previous phase.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="11. Plan for the next phase"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>11. Plan for the next phase</h2> <p>The organization will likely need to complete additional work post go-live. That work might include implementing new features, addressing new or previously known defects, or integrating a third-party tool.</p> <p>The implementation team should initiate a new planning cycle before starting these tasks so the group can scope the work, get approval and build a team. The team should also give key stakeholders an opportunity to provide input into the items that the group will address and the time frame in which they will do so.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="12. Monitor AI responses and insights"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>12. Monitor AI responses and insights</h2> <p>Post go-live, the project leader should be sure to assign one or more team members the task of actively monitoring the results and insights provided by AI. These people can potentially provide the correct answers when AI tools provide wrong or vague answers. In this way, the AI tool learns for future questions.</p> <p>Also, it's important that a human validates any AI-generated insights or reports to confirm their accuracy.</p> <p>While AI has come a long way in the past couple of years, there are still nuances in the English language that AI might not understand. For example, there may be instances where AI interprets negative-sounding words to always mean a negative answer, such as a sentence that contains "not" or "terrible," whereas it interprets words such as "great" and "good" as only positive.</p> <p><em>Eric St-Jean is an independent consultant with a particular focus on HR technology, project management and Microsoft Excel training and automation. He writes about numerous business and technology areas.</em></p> </section> Learn the essential steps your project team must take to ensure ERP implementation is successful after the go-live. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/toolGearArrow_g1157744678.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searcherp/tip/10-steps-you-need-to-carry-out-post-ERP-implementation Fri, 12 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT <p>Humanoid robots, one of the more visible examples of <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/feature/Physical-AI-explained-Everything-you-need-to-know">physical AI</a>, are becoming more capable and gaining more attention. Demos of robots walking about and performing tasks are getting more impressive, polished and compelling. But what works on stage in controlled venues doesn't always translate to production environments, where reliability, cost and dexterity issues are still unresolved.</p> <p>In some cases, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/robotics">robotic systems</a> presented as autonomous have relied on human assistance or teleoperation, highlighting how much of the technology is under development. Tesla's Optimus, for example, received a lot of attention when it was first announced in 2021. Later reports made it clear that human involvement was still essential to its operation. This pattern is apparent elsewhere.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Capability vs. reality"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Capability vs. reality</h2> <p>The thing about demos is they show peak performance, not repeatability. Humanoids on display often perform predefined tasks under ideal conditions. And while that's exciting to watch and imagine how they can be deployed in business, humanoids aren't functionally ready for what's next.</p> <p>The expectation gap is driven by a combination of cost, dexterity and precision limitations, with current humanoid robots not yet capable of large-scale, precise operations. "Businesses tend to believe that these robots are plug-and-play, much like a human employee, but they are far from that," said Lian Jye Su, chief analyst at Omdia, a division of Informa TechTarget. "They will need recalibration and reorientation of the actual workflow, which may come at a high cost for most enterprises."</p> <p>The humanoid form factor itself can further widen the expectation gap, leading potential customers to project capabilities onto systems that aren't there. That's not accidental, said Bill Ray, VP analyst and chief of research at Gartner. Companies design robots to look human, partly because it taps into how people interpret movement and behavior.</p> <p>"When we see a humanoid robot dancing or running, we subconsciously attribute other skills to it -- jumping, climbing, throwing -- even if it can't actually perform them," Ray explained. "The shape becomes a distraction and a limitation, … which sets unrealistic expectations in buyers." Because humanoid robots are often better at looking impressive than delivering real utility, he added, "[a]ctual use cases are minimal, as the robots are not nearly as functional as they appear."</p> <p>Businesses subsequently need to shift focus to functionality instead of form, specifically whether a system can be applied across multiple tasks and improve productivity, rather than serve as a more expensive, less efficient substitute for human labor.</p> <p>"At Gartner we tend to talk about polyfunctional robots … rather than the physical form factor," Ray said. "The way to evaluate such robots is to consider how they can improve the productivity of existing workers, rather than thinking of them replacing workers."</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="'Mostly works' isn't enough"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>'Mostly works' isn't enough</h2> <p>The drop-off in performance between controlled settings and real-world environments remains one of the bigger <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/feature/How-GenAI-deployments-are-redefining-everyday-work-routines">hurdles to broader human robot deployment</a> in businesses. A robot that can execute a predefined task repeatedly in ideal conditions is very different from one that can adapt in real time when something changes, fails or simply doesn't match the robot's training data.</p> <p>"The main gap lies in complex task resolution," Su explained. "The moment they need to resolve tasks they are not well trained for, the system falls apart rapidly."</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> Businesses need to approach any robotic deployment, including humanoids, as an infrastructure readiness question, not just a robotics decision. </figure> <figcaption> <strong>Samuel Pasquier</strong>Vice president of product management, Cisco Systems </figcaption> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> <p>Beyond the robot itself, other factors can affect performance. "Network reliability and latency are foundational for robotic automation in real-world environments," said Samuel Pasquier, vice president of product management for industrial IoT networking at Cisco. Systems must run consistently, or they're not usable. If the network isn't stable, problems surface quickly. In production environments, even short disruptions can delay decisions, interrupt operations or stop them altogether.</p> <p>"Businesses need to approach any robotic deployment, including humanoids, as an infrastructure readiness question, not just a robotics decision," Pasquier said. "That means assessing network reliability, predictable performance, edge compute, bandwidth, mobility and security from the outset."</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Robots still struggle with dexterity and adaptability"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Robots still struggle with dexterity and adaptability</h2> <p>It's happened many times. A humanoid attempts to demonstrate performance on stage, then stumbles and falls. Although balance and the ability to walk have improved, handling objects is still a challenge.</p> <p>While the overall form factor of a full-size humanoid is fairly mature, Su said, the bigger limitation is the robot's hands, or <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2kgErnz_GA" rel="noopener">end effector</a>, which lack the precision and flexibility needed to handle variability consistently. "I expect this market to be a significant one moving forward," he noted, "with lots of innovations around soft robotics and solid-state sensors."</p> <p>Those advances are expected to improve <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/tip/Humanoid-robots-The-next-frontier-in-physical-AI">how robots interact with the physical world</a>, giving them better feedback and more adaptive control. But for now, the gap between controlled demonstrations and real-world handling remains a key constraint on broader adoption.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Why the math doesn't always work"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Why the math doesn't always work</h2> <p>The cost of humanoid robots isn't just in the hardware; it's also everything around it. In fact, the cost of the robot itself is becoming less of a barrier, with many vendors offering <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/feature/Optimize-AI-models-to-generate-more-bang-for-your-buck">robots-as-a-service models</a>. The challenge lies in integration, workflow redesign and the opportunity cost for the ideal multi-tasking system compared to simpler automation alternatives.</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> Only by applying the robot to multiple tasks can the additional cost be justified. </figure> <figcaption> <strong>Bill Ray</strong>VP analyst and chief of research, Gartner </figcaption> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> <p>Polyfunctional robots tend to be more expensive, meaning the ROI only works if they can be applied across multiple tasks rather than a single use case, according to Ray. "Only by applying the robot to multiple tasks can the additional cost be justified," he said.</p> <p>That often places humanoids at a disadvantage compared to more specialized systems. A robotic arm designed for a single task or an automated storage and retrieval system in a warehouse can be deployed faster with less integration work and more predictable results. In contrast, humanoids require broader changes to workflows and infrastructure, which adds time, cost and complexity before they deliver value. In many cases, companies are finding it easier and more cost-effective to automate specific tasks than to introduce a general-purpose system that still needs significant adaptation.</p> <p>Where humanoids are being used, deployments tend to be narrow and tightly controlled. Agility<u> </u>Robotics' Digit has been deployed in factories and warehouses for specific material-handling tasks. Figure AI's humanoid robots have operated inside a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.figure.ai/news/production-at-bmw" rel="noopener">BMW plant</a> for more than two years. And UBTech's Walker S2 is being used and tested in automotive and aerospace environments. These deployments remain relatively contained in scope and visibility, closer to targeted pilots than broad, production-scale rollouts.</p> <p>In addition to cost, ROI -- or the lack of it -- is another issue. Humanoid adoption is likely to be phased in, with larger manufacturers and logistics companies moving first where the ROI makes more sense, while others wait for the technology to mature, according to Su.</p> <p><iframe title="The evolution of humanoid robots" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-cxZug" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/cxZug/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="742" data-external="1"></iframe></p> <p> <script type="text/javascript">window.addEventListener("message",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}});</script> </p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Where humanoids will make economic sense"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Where humanoids will make economic sense</h2> <p>While <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366641229/Physical-AI-device-shipments-to-reach-145-million-units-by-2035">overall adoption of humanoid robots</a> is likely to be gradual and selective, Ray sees deployments sooner in healthcare and environments offering plenty of room for humanoids to operate. "Places with space and automated doors," he said. "The dull, dirty and dangerous jobs provide the highest ROI."</p> <p>Many analysts expect broader adoption to center on more flexible, multipurpose robotic systems rather than strictly humanoid design. Humanoid robots might continue to attract attention, Ray said, but polyfunctional systems are more likely to see meaningful adoption in the near term.</p> <p>As these systems evolve, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/tip/Infrastructure-requirements-for-physical-AI-systems">infrastructure will play a bigger role</a> in how quickly deployments scale. Connectivity, edge compute and closer alignment between IT and operational technology will factor into how and where these systems are used.</p> <p>Humanoid robots are improving quickly, but their use remains limited. Getting them to work reliably in places like factories and warehouses is taking longer. They're being asked to operate in environments far less predictable than demos offer.</p> <p><em>Liz Hughes is an award-winning editor and writer covering AI and emerging technology and the former editor of </em>AI Business<em> and </em>IoT World Today<em>.</em></p> </section> Don't be fooled by a robot's impressive display of movement and dexterity during onstage demos in controlled environments. Humanoid exploits in the real world can disappoint. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/machine_learning_g1303163039.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/feature/Humanoid-robots-not-quite-ready-for-primetime Fri, 12 Jun 2026 12:25:00 GMT <p>Oracle has issued an out-of-band patch for a remote code execution (RCE) zero-day vulnerability affecting its <a href="https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/alert-cve-2026-35273.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PeopleSoft Enterprise PeopleTools</a> product that is being exploited in a rapidly-spreading ShinyHunters campaign.</p> <p>Tracked as <a href="https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-35273" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CVE-2026-35273</a>, the vulnerability is known to be remotely exploitable without authentication, posing a serious risk to unpatched environments.</p> <p>“We consider implementation of the recommended mitigations to be a high-priority risk reduction measure and strongly recommend immediate action to address the identified exposure,” noted Oracle.</p> <p>“Oracle always recommends that customers remain on actively-supported versions and apply all Critical Patch Updates, Critical Security Patch Updates and Security Alerts without delay.”</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="UK university confirms breach via Oracle"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>UK university confirms breach via Oracle</h2> <p>The vulnerability is already known to have been used in a developing cyber attack <a href="https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/currentstudents/news/student-and-alumni-data-has-been-compromised-in-a-data-security-incident" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on the University of Nottingham</a>.</p> <p>According to the ongoing forensic investigation, the University was breached via a vulnerability in Oracle WebLogic – which is a server platform used to develop, deploy and run Java applications that forms a key part of the PeopleSoft Internet Architecture.</p> <p>In contact with <i>Bleeping Computer</i>, ShinyHunters <a href="https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/nottingham-university-data-breach-affects-over-450-000-students/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed to have stolen 40GB of data</a> relating to 450,000 students past and present. The data is believed to comprise full names, birthdates and contact details, financial data related to their studies, information on characteristics such as ethnicity or disability, and passport data.</p> <p>In a statement earlier today (12 June), a University spokesperson said: “Our investigation into this incident is continuing, and this matter has now become a criminal investigation, with police involved alongside ongoing forensic work.</p> <p>“We are continuing to work closely with cyber security specialists and regulatory authorities to understand the scope of the data accessed and to ensure our system remains secure. We know how concerning this situation is and as soon as we have more definitive information to share, we will provide a further update,” they added.</p> <p>The University has established a <a href="https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/Home/Alerts/Cyber-attack-incident.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dedicated web page</a> and contact phone lines for affected individuals.</p> <p>According to the Google Threat Intelligence Group and Mandiant, ShinyHunters began exploiting CVE-2026-35273 a few weeks ago, on 27 May.</p> <p>GTIG said that upon becoming aware of active scanning and exploitation, it notified over 100 organisations with IP addresses correlating with potentially at-risk endpoints, 68% of them in the higher education sector.</p> <p>Public reports obtained via social media platform X has subsequently enabled its team to piece together a detailed breakdown of ShinyHunters’ campaign, <a href="https://cloud.google.com/blog/topics/threat-intelligence/shinyhunters-targets-education-sector-oracle-exploit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which can be found here</a>.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Education in the crosshairs"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Education in the crosshairs</h2> <p>Since the summer of 2025, various ShinyHunters campaigns have targeted multiple different verticals, with the group favouring mass compromise of software products used by similar organisations.</p> <p><a href="https://www.halcyon.ai/ransomware-alerts/education-sector-in-the-crosshairs-shinyhunters-extortion-campaign-against-instructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Over the past couple of months</a>, the collective has been targeting education institutions specifically, and the PeopleSoft attacks follow swiftly on the heels of its April compromise of Infrastructure’s Canvas learning management system.</p> <p>In that instance, ShinyHunters claimed to have exfiltrated 3.65 TB of data comprising 275 million records from almost 9,000 different institutions.</p> <p>The danger in the exposure of highly sensitive data relating to children and students lies not just in the situation in which ShinyHunters’ victims find themselves, but in the potential for other threat actors to conduct personalised downstream attacks against individuals.</p> <p>Keven Knight, CEO of <a href="https://talion.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Talion</a>, said: “Now that this data has been compromised, students and alumni must be vigilant for phishing scams as this is likely the route the attackers will take to monetise from the incident, if their ransom demand is not met.”</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about ShinyHunters</h3> <ul style="list-style-type: square;" class="default-list"> <li>The notorious ShinyHunters hacking collective menaces video game publisher Rockstar and says it will leak data&nbsp;<a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366641486/Grand-Theft-Auto-publisher-Rockstar-hit-by-hackers-again">on 14 April</a>.</li> <li>The ShinyHunters hacking collective that caused chaos in 2025 is ramping up a new voice phishing campaign, with several potential victims&nbsp;<a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366637762/Wave-of-ShinyHunters-vishing-attacks-spreading-fast">already identified</a>.</li> <li>ReliaQuest researchers present new evidence that firms up a potential link, or outright partnership, between the ShinyHunters&nbsp;<a rel="noopener" target="_blank" href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366629157/Researchers-firm-up-ShinyHunters-Scattered-Spider-link">and Scattered Spider cyber gangs</a>.</li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> A zero-day vulnerability affecting Oracle's PeopleSoft products is being exploited by a ShinyHunters campaign targeting schools and universities. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/HeroImages/security-breach-artbase-adobe.jpg https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366644375/Oracle-fixes-PeopleSoft-flaw-exploited-by-ShinyHunters Fri, 12 Jun 2026 12:22:00 GMT <p>With its customers using multiple financial professional services in its portfolio, corporate services provider Vistra wants to provide a single platform. The digital backbone will also give customers access to better quality business information through embedded artificial intelligence (AI).</p> <p><a href="https://www.vistra.com/people/damian-leach">Damian Leach, recently installed chief AI and digital officer at Vistra</a>, has been tasked with accelerating the group’s capabilities in digitally enabled and AI-powered professional financial services.&nbsp;Vistra has around 10,000 staff across 65 global locations, and offers tax, payroll, fund and entity management services among others.</p> <p>A project to build the digital backbone platform will gradually enable customers to access more of its products and services through a single front-end, says Leach: “For us, [the digital platform] is a tremendous opportunity to make sure we are operating internationally with borderless, frictionless services.”</p> <p>Vistra’s client businesses currently use a combination of digital services and products as well as teams of services, according to Leach. The platform will make them all accessible through a single interface.</p> <p>“For example, iiPay –&nbsp;a <a href="https://www.fintechfutures.com/m-a/vistra-acquires-payroll-platform-iipay">recent acquisition</a> that we made – is a multi-country global payroll provider, but we’ve also got local payroll solutions that we offer in certain markets,” he tells Computer Weekly. “So, we’re intending to unify them and make them readily available across the platform.”</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Better data"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Better data</h2> <p>One of the key benefits for Vistra’s customers, according to Leach, is providing them with better quality data about their business: “Data remains one of the largest issues for our customers. Often, organisations have fragmented data in silos, working from multiple sources, which leads to fragmented output and multiple answers to the same question.</p> <p>“We can play a pivotal role in cleaning up that view for customers within their portfolios that we have under management, not only unifying the clean data that we have, but providing the ability to ask questions of that data to gain intelligent insights.”</p> <p>Leach says that by infusing AI into the workflow behind the scenes, a modern approach to the customer journey is created.&nbsp;Vistra is building the platform itself and will use AI offered by hyperscalers, with orchestration and automation tools.</p> <p>“We are coming up with a tenanted architecture that allows us to promote granularity to each of our individual clients while keeping their data secure,” says Leach.</p> <p>He adds that the project will be ongoing with regular iterations, but it all starts with “the boring stuff”. According to Leach, this is of “upmost importance” and includes “designing policies and the guardrails, setting the standards, doing the architecture, setting the roadmap, engineering blueprints, and addressing regulatory issues and trust and privacy concerns that our clients have”.</p> <p>He adds: “We have a blueprint and it is released into certain markets with features. We work in iterative agile sprints to release features and capabilities into the platform on an ongoing basis.”</p> <p>Vistra plans on releasing new capability for the business to test every two weeks, says Leach: “Once tested and approved, we then release it to our clients.”</p> <p>The company intends to roll out to major market hubs by the end of the year.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="AI opportunity"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>AI opportunity</h2> <p>Leach tells Computer Weekly that AI is a huge opportunity for Vistra to improve its services despite some misgivings across wider industry.</p> <p>“There’s a lot of judgement that comes about through the topic of AI, because a lot of people tend to think AI is about automating processes,” he says. “This is somewhat true, but I think the real benefit is improving the client experience. If you connect the client to the data that they have and put intelligent services over it to build those ‘what if?’ scenarios, they can question the data and we can open new services.”</p> <p>A key opportunity is also to offer services as part of an integrated suite of products through relationships and integration into other platforms, adds Leach. “One of the things that I’m looking at is how to build strategic relationships with other cloud native platform vendors to include our products and services which are different to theirs in their marketplace,” he says.</p> <blockquote> <div class="imagecaption alignLeft"> <img src="https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/computerweekly/Damian-Leach-Vistra-140px.jpg" alt="Headshot of Damian Leach."> </div> <p><strong><span style="color: #34495e;">“We are coming up with a tenanted architecture that allows us to promote granularity to each of our individual clients while keeping their data secure”</span></strong></p> <p><em><span style="color: #34495e;">Damian Leach, Vistra</span></em></p> </blockquote> <p>In terms of its own IT resources, Vistra has 450 tech staff which all sit in Leach’s team. He describes his role as being like a CIO, chief technology officer (CTO) and chief data officer (CDO) rolled into one, heading up infrastructure core services such as datacentres, end user computing, as well as networks, voice and collaboration services and cloud.</p> <p>In addition, he is responsible for Vistra Digital, which covers all the customer-facing products and services, and traditional enterprise applications, while cyber security, architecture, engineering and all the functional also falls within his remit.</p> <p>Leach spent 13 years in global banking technology roles leading global teams and has been the CTO of a global fortune 500 software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider. Until recently, he was global <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366620921/Seaco-charts-course-for-unified-security-strategy">CIO at container leasing company Seaco</a> where he led the modernisation and scaling of enterprise technology capabilities.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Skills challenge"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Skills challenge</h2> <p>Leach says one of the biggest challenges faced when adopting AI is the availability of the right skills, which are “the biggest challenge as we enter the AI era, and learning and focusing on talent and skills within the existing team”.</p> <p>He says to address this he has three combined strategies. The first is to build and foster grassroots innovation in the existing workforce: “It’s important for us to <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366629372/AI-advances-clear-path-to-software-development-careers">lift the existing core team skills</a> and expertise that we have and arm them with the right tools and support needed to succeed. This includes providing psychological safety for the team to experiment, innovate and even fail as they learn, but at least [they gain] progress.”</p> <p>He says employees understand the challenges the company has but perhaps lack the tools to help solve them. “Through innovation grassroots mindset, we can encourage the best-in-class ideas to surface and for people to stay as they learn and continue to contribute,” he adds.</p> <p>The current drive is to encourage the development of a community of builders by releasing AI tools to them to start coding to meet some needs that they have.</p> <p>Leach says the company is also “<a href="https://www.theserverside.com/blog/Coffee-Talk-Java-News-Stories-and-Opinions/How-long-is-a-Sprint-in-Agile?_gl=1*keci33*_ga*Mjg4MTcxMzU3LjE3Nzk5NjUxNTU.*_ga_TQKE4GS5P9*czE3ODEwMDE1MjIkbzQ1JGcxJHQxNzgxMDAyNDYxJGoxMSRsMCRoMA..">sprinting</a>” using new talent: “I’ll be setting up strategic relationships with key universities and taking in fresh graduates. It’s a focused project, building new talent from the ground up. And of course, here in Singapore, there’s great opportunity and very supportive government initiatives to meet the national AI strategy.”</p> <p>The company is also building on existing capacity in delivery centres in Malaysia, China and India.</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more CIO interviews</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366643836/Interview-Clare-Hickie-EMEA-CTO-Workday">The IT chief went from implementing Workday software at one of the firm’s largest customers to leading technology at the supplier – she discusses what she learned</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366643817/Interview-Michael-Cole-chief-technology-officer-DP-World-Tour">AI promises to revolutionise the experience of watching or taking part in the traditional golf for players, fans and TV viewers – the IT chief leading the change explains how</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639330/Interview-Nick-Pearson-CIO-Ricoh-Europe">Working for a company undergoing a major pivot in its business model means variety and opportunity for the supplier’s tech chief</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366635509/Interview-Art-Hu-global-CIO-Lenovo">The IT chief at the PC, servers and storage supplier is using his experience of rolling out tech internally to boost the growing services ambitions of the Chinese tech giant</a>.</li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> CIO Damian Leach discusses Vistra’s digital platform, which he says will harness artificial intelligence in its financial professional services offering https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/Hero%20Images/financial-results-chart-graph-5-adobe.jpeg https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366643928/CIO-interview-Damian-Leach-Vistra Fri, 12 Jun 2026 12:06:00 GMT <p>Ensuring 911 calls are routed to the proper emergency call center with accurate caller location is a challenge that has grown more complex as companies manage both cloud communications and a hybrid workforce.</p> <p>In addition, some organizations don't invest in the resources needed to properly evaluate and ensure compliance, or they may be unfamiliar with state and local requirements. One example is Alyssa's Law, which a growing number of states have adopted to require panic alarm systems in public schools so emergency responders can be alerted quickly during an emergency.</p> <p>Let's examine what you can do to navigate a 911 hybrid work environment, <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/quiz/Test-your-knowledge-of-E911-compliance-requirements">ensure compliance</a> and prepare for NG911.</p> <p><b>Editor's note:</b><i> This tip provides no legal guidance. We recommend those responsible for 911 location and call routing management consult with appropriate legal counsel to determine their organization's risk and potential liability.</i></p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Understanding 911 compliance requirements"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Understanding 911 compliance requirements</h2> <p>In the United States, companies are subject to regulations issued by federal, state and local authorities. At the federal level, two key laws are Kari's Law and RAY BAUM's Act.</p> <p>Kari's Law, in force for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/mlts_faqs.pdf" rel="noopener">multiline phone systems</a> manufactured or installed after Feb. 16, 2020, requires that covered multiline phone systems let users call emergency services without having to first punch in a prefix, such as an 8 or 9, to reach an outside line. It also requires that appropriate personnel, such as on-site security, are notified whenever a 911 call is made.</p> <p>Additionally, it mandates that 911 calls sent to an emergency call center (ECC) or a public safety answering point (PSAP) must include a valid callback number to enable the operator to reach the original caller if the call is lost.</p> <p>But for older systems, compliance can often be a gray area depending on the system's age, when it was last updated and the scale of the update. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), for its part, said it considers upgrades to core multiline hardware or software systems to be sufficient enough to place these systems under the oversight of its regulations. To minimize risk, companies should consult with appropriate legal counsel.</p> <p>RAY BAUM'S Act mandates that calls placed to 911 <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/feature/Build-a-strategy-for-compliance-with-federal-911-laws">provide a dispatchable location</a>, which the FCC defines as a "validated street address of the 911 calling party, plus additional information, such as suite, apartment or similar information necessary to adequately identify the location of the caller."</p> <p>In cases where building access is restricted, it's critical that front-desk security personnel are aware that a 911 call was placed from within the building and can identify the caller's actual location.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="911 compliance lags"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>911 compliance lags</h2> <p>Unfortunately, not every company adheres to regulations. According to Metrigy's "Employee Engagement Optimization: 2025" study of 400 companies, just 64% of organizations with offices in the U.S complied with both Kari's Law and RAY BAUM's Act. This number has remained virtually unchanged over the last several years.</p> <p>Reasons for not following the laws vary, but are usually attributable to a lack of understanding and a view that older systems are grandfathered in and thus compliant. In addition, some organizations don't invest in the resources needed to properly evaluate and ensure compliance, or they may be unfamiliar with state and local requirements, including <a target="_blank" href="https://makeourschoolssafe.org/alyssas-law/" rel="noopener">Alyssa's Law</a>. Now on the books in 11 states, Alyssa's Law requires school districts to install panic alarms within all public school buildings that can be activated in the event of an emergency.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Achieving 911 compliance"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Achieving 911 compliance</h2> <p>Fortunately, both unified communications (UC) vendors, as well as third-party software suppliers, offer tools to provide compliance and manage employee location and 911 call routing. These range from apps that track employee location in real time to those that ensure that location information is shared both with on-site personnel and ECC/PSAP operators.</p> <p>In cases where a 911 caller's location can't be pinpointed, the software typically routes the call to a national call center that attempts to determine the caller's location before contacting the appropriate ECC.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Preparing for Next Generation 911"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Preparing for Next Generation 911</h2> <p>UC providers are also <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/tip/How-to-manage-E911-in-a-multivendor-UC-environment">actively supporting Next Generation 911</a> (NG911). Here, endpoints learn their location from network components or other devices and then send that information along with the 911 call. Emerging NG911 capabilities include text-to-911, where available, and the ability to share information with first responders, such as exit locations, elevators and even security camera footage.</p> <p>For remote workers, most services require users to configure a dispatchable location. The UC software validates the address is correct and prompts users to update their locations when it detects a change in the network environment.</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> The reality for companies trying to ensure 911 compliance is that most 911 calls are placed from personal or company-provided cellular phones. </figure> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Mobility continues as a pain point"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Mobility continues as a pain point</h2> <p>The reality for companies trying to ensure 911 compliance is that most 911 calls are placed from <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/answer/How-do-you-manage-cloud-telephony-E911-location-information">personal or company-provided cellular phones</a>. In these cases, because the call isn't handled by the enterprise phone system or UC as a service (UCaaS) provider, there may be no way to transmit accurate caller location or to notify on-site personnel that an emergency call has been placed.</p> <p>Some 911 management providers can link personal or company-provided cellphones to office locations, but these products aren't widely deployed. Metrigy found that only 18% of companies use third-party platforms for 911 call and location management.</p> <p>Services such as Cisco Webex Go and Microsoft Teams Phone Mobile can <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/tip/Fixed-mobile-convergence-could-solve-UC-services-gap">connect a cellphone's native dialer </a>with a company's UCaaS environment, but emergency calling capabilities can vary by carrier, country, configuration and device type. IT teams should verify whether these services can transmit dispatchable location, route calls to the appropriate ECC/PSAP and notify on-site personnel before treating them as part of a 911 compliance strategy. Again, it's best to consult legal counsel to determine risk.</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Hybrid work 911 compliance checks</h3> <p>Hybrid work creates more variables for 911 compliance because employees might place emergency calls from offices, homes, shared workspaces or mobile devices. Use these checks to review whether your phone system, UCaaS tools and emergency response processes account for those different work scenarios.</p> <p>✓&nbsp; Verify how remote workers update their dispatchable location.</p> <p>✓&nbsp; Confirm whether UCaaS and mobile calling services route emergency calls to the correct ECC/PSAP.</p> <p>✓&nbsp; Determine whether on-site personnel are notified when employees call 911 from enterprise calling tools.</p> <p>✓&nbsp; Review how personal and company-provided mobile phones fit into emergency response plans.</p> <p>✓&nbsp; Test location information and routing across office, remote and mobile work scenarios.</p> <p>✓&nbsp; Educate employees on how 911 calls are handled from each approved calling option.</p> </div> </div> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Education, tools can help"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Education, tools can help</h2> <p>To help reduce 911 compliance challenges and make it possible to navigate 911 in a hybrid work environment, consider the following steps:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Ensure compliance with appropriate federal, state and local laws.</li> <li>If you are still relying on older systems, evaluate the need to make them comply with Kari's Law and RAY BAUM'S Act.</li> <li>Deploy available 911 management tools from your UC providers, supplementing them with third-party specialty tools as needed.</li> <li>Determine and address the risk of mobile 911 calls.</li> <li>Educate users about how 911 calls are handled across all work locations.</li> </ul> <p><i>Irwin Lazar is president and principal analyst at Metrigy, where he leads coverage on the digital workplace. His research focus includes unified communications, VoIP, video conferencing and team collaboration. </i></p> </section> Hybrid work, cloud calling and mobile phones complicate 911 compliance. Learn how IT teams can reduce risk and help employees get emergency assistance. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/location_g10188619.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/tip/Navigating-E911-in-the-hybrid-workplace Fri, 12 Jun 2026 11:27:00 GMT <p>With all local government agencies in the UK facing the need to do more with a lot less, Lincolnshire County Council has embarked on a programme to deliver and manage a modernised software-defined wide area network (WAN) throughout the county.</p> <p>Situated in the northeast midlands of England, the mainly rural Lincolnshire county covers just over 2.6 million square miles, with a population of around 1.12 million people. As England’s fourth largest county council, <a href="https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/">Lincolnshire County Council</a> employs more than 6,000 people and delivers a range of public services, including Adult and Children’s Social Care, Highways and Transport, Environmental Services, Education, and Fire and Rescue services, across 200 sites.</p> <p>The new network will aim to provide improved&nbsp;resilience&nbsp;and secure integration with cloud-based services across all council sites. The deployment will also support including <a href="https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/lincolnshire-fire-rescue">Lincolnshire Fire &amp; Rescue</a>, with centralised health and social care network (HSCN) access.</p> <p>Explaining the reasons for the project, <a href="https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/">Lincolnshire County Council</a> CIO Tom Baker said: “Our vision is to build a technological ecosystem that not only supports our ongoing operational needs but meets the expectations of our citizens in digital delivery as a time of local government change.”&nbsp;</p> <p>The work to implement the WAN will be carried out by <a title="https://url.us.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/kUf1CyP6mEtJpYZOVCPC9cxfvr7?domain=exponential-e.com" href="https://www.exponential-e.com/industry/government">Exponential-e</a><u>,</u> a&nbsp;UK provider of&nbsp;sovereign&nbsp;cloud, connectivity, communications and cyber security solutions, has been awarded a five-year contract, procured under Crown Commercial Services (CCS) <a href="https://www.gca.gov.uk/agreements/RM6116">Network Services 3 Framework</a>.</p> <p>Noting that the company was an expert with technical ability and proven public sector expertise, CIO Baker noted that Exponential-e will be critical in improving the council’s ability to manage ongoing and accelerated change.&nbsp;</p> <p>Exponential-e will replace the council’s existing outdated Public Services Network (PSN) infrastructure with a fully managed Cisco <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366635495/SASE-SD-WAN-evolve-as-enterprises-prioritise-unified-network-security">software-defined wide area network</a> (SD-WAN). This is intended to deliver a unified, centrally orchestrated, secure and high-performing network environment, designed to support the council’s long-term digital strategy, enabling greater agility, improved resilience and secure integration with cloud-based services.</p> <p>The solution will also integrate with the council’s operational and security platforms, incorporating secure-by-design principles, centralised monitoring, incident-response systems, automated failover capabilities, dynamic routing and flexible network segmentation. This is meant to support a zero-trust security approach and rapid onboard of new sites.&nbsp;</p> <p>The architecture will be centrally managed via a structured service desk model to provide encrypted connectivity across all locations. It will also support critical national infrastructure (CNI) services including Lincolnshire Fire &amp; Rescue with encrypted integration and centralised HSCN access. It is also designed to enable scalability and flexibility for future organisational and technological change.</p> <p>The contract was signed in March 2026 and will run until March 2031. Implementation&nbsp;has&nbsp;begun, with service go-live dates to be confirmed as part of the phased deployment programme.&nbsp;</p> <p>Commenting on the project, Afshin Attari, director of public sector and unified platforms at Exponential-e, said: “We are proud to partner with Lincolnshire County Council to deliver a modern, resilient and secure network infrastructure that supports the delivery of critical public services across the county.</p> <p>“By implementing a centrally managed SD-WAN architecture, the council will benefit from greater agility, enhanced security and improved operational resilience, while creating a scalable, sovereign platform capable of supporting future innovation and evolving digital service requirements.”&nbsp;</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about SD-WAN</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366640937/Cato-Networks-unveils-modular-adoption-model-for-SASE-platform">Cato Networks unveils modular adoption model for SASE platform</a>: SD-WAN, SSE, AI security and UZTNA standalone modules at heart of a converged platform that unlocks operational simplicity, resilient connectivity and stronger security.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366634553/Qatar-Airways-checks-in-SD-WAN-to-take-operations-to-higher-altitude">Qatar Airways checks in SD-WAN to take operations to higher altitude</a>: MENA airline’s worldwide roll-out of airline technology provider’s software-defined wide-area network claimed to set a benchmark for aviation connectivity and performance.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366635495/SASE-SD-WAN-evolve-as-enterprises-prioritise-unified-network-security">SASE, SD-WAN evolve as enterprises prioritise unified network security</a>: Research confirms trend that software-defined wide-area network implementations are increasingly tied to security, with the continual rise of cyber security incidents worldwide only accelerating this dynamic.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366632181/Zen-Internet-launches-Meraki-to-deliver-SD-WAN-portfolio">Zen Internet launches Meraki to deliver SD-WAN portfolio</a>: Zen Internet introduces software-defined wide-area network offer to address needs of businesses as IT budgets come under increasing under pressure while cyber threats rise.</li> </ul> </div> </div> Lincolnshire County Council to replace legacy PSN infrastructure with unified, high-performing network environment, enabling greater agility https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/Hero%20Images/Lincoln-City-Cathedral-Lincolnshire-adobe.jpg https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366644316/Lincolnshire-County-Council-upgrades-wide-area-network-services Fri, 12 Jun 2026 11:25:00 GMT <p>Customer and employee experience software supplier Freshworks is pivoting towards artificial intelligence (AI)-driven <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchhrsoftware/definition/employee-experience">employee experience (EX)</a>. This move, which places AI at the heart of the firm’s strategy, has significant implications for companies and professionals relying on its <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/blog/Data-Matters/How-simplifying-IT-helps-teams-perform-at-racing-speed">Freshservice platform</a>.</p> <p>That is the key takeaway from Freshworks Refresh 2026 in New York City, where senior executives outline the company’s product roadmap, and customers present best-practice techniques they’ve adopted to make the most of the platform. What’s clear during the event is that the technology firm seems eager to do things differently from its competitors, such as Salesforce, Zendesk, HubSpot and ServiceNow.</p> <p>Dennis Woodside, CEO and president at Freshworks, says in his keynote speech to service leaders in the room that his company absorbs the complexity of modern business so they can do their jobs better. He suggests that attending professionals share something in common: “You all bet on a different way of doing enterprise software.”</p> <p>During the keynote and a series of product-focused sessions, Woodside and his colleagues outline new features the company hopes will differentiate it from its competitors. The aim is to create an agile, open platform for connecting assets and incidents, with the company’s <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/blog/Data-Matters/The-importance-of-simplifying-IT-enterprise-capability-without-the-complexity">Freddy AI technology</a> at the heart of an agentic approach to customer support.</p> <p>Freshworks announced a series of product features at the event, including AI Agent Studio, its no-code agent builder; MCP Gateway, which bridges Freshservice with the AI tools customers choose; and new performance dashboards that offer AI-powered insights to service leaders charged with delivering high-quality EX.</p> <p>Woodside says these capabilities will position Freshservice for a continuing data-enabled transformation that will accelerate during the next two years. He suggests everyone’s world will change in three radical ways.</p> <p>First, professionals at all levels in all sectors will rely on thousands of agents that must be governed and identifiable.</p> <p>Second, traditional performance measures, such as service-level agreements (SLAs), will be replaced by experience-level agreements, as service leaders aim to ensure agentic-enabled support boosts staff productivity.</p> <p>Finally, in an age when operations will be more proactive than reactive, organisations will require a single source of truth that human and AI agents can trust.</p> <p>“When you look at what we’re shipping today and what we’re talking about for the future, those are the beliefs that we’re building towards,” says Woodside, as he concludes his keynote. “So, the question really isn’t whether this is going to happen; it’s going to happen. The question is, ‘Who do you trust to walk into that future with you?’”</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What customers need to know now"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What customers need to know now</h2> <p>Freshworks CTO Murali Swaminathan tells Computer Weekly in a one-to-one interview that he believes the on-stage announcements demonstrate that the company is pivoting strategically to develop a competitive edge in the age of AI.</p> <p>“We’re trying to make our platform more configurable and usable,” he says. “It’s not like we’re trying to bring everyone else to our interface. Instead, we want to be more interoperable with everyone else. The MCP Gateway, for example, means our customers can use our technology to call any AI.”</p> <p>This approach resonates with Chris Kairinos, senior director of global modern workplace technology, client services and technology operations at A+E Global Media. He explains to Computer Weekly how his media company has used Freshworks technology since late 2020.</p> <p>During the past six years, Kairinos has continued to hone his company’s use of the platform. He says he is impressed with some of the new features, particularly Agent Studio. At a time when his company, like so many others, is attempting to plot a roadmap towards <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/definition/agentic-AI">agentic AI</a> in support services, Kairinos says he also likes the in-built flexibility of MCP Gateway.&nbsp;</p> <p>“The Freshworks approach is all about growing the ecosystem,” he says. “The MCP Gateway is going to help a lot. Before, you might have used something like Copilot Studio with Microsoft, but then, when you come to adding the technology to your platforms, you might encounter integration issues.”</p> <p>Kairinos says he regularly speaks with the Freshworks product team about new features, adding that&nbsp;the company’s focus on interoperability is crucial to helping alleviate long-term integration concerns. “I say to the product team at Freshworks that AI is a case of, ‘Who’s the best kid in the playground?’” he says.</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> Success in the age of AI will be all about which provider will play nicest with your existing digital stack </figure> <figcaption> <strong>Chris Kairinos, A+E Global Media</strong> </figcaption> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> <p>“Success in the age of AI will be all about which provider will play nicest with your existing digital stack. With the technology they’ve demoed on stage, and from an <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/tip/How-the-Model-Context-Protocol-simplifies-AI-development">MCP standpoint</a>, Freshworks is a pretty good kid in that playground at the minute, and the position is only going to get better.”</p> <p>Speaking on stage at the event, Julie Mohr, principal analyst at research firm Forrester, says the key to unlocking value from AI is focusing on the right business outcomes. Companies can use AI-powered technologies to boost employee experiences. However, their effectiveness will rely on in-depth expertise, and that’s where Freshworks can play a supporting role.</p> <p>“Skill sets in AI are at a premium right now,” she says. “For people to make the right decisions and to understand how to transform, they need those skills. And because companies don’t necessarily fully understand what that transformation is going to look like, they’re going to rely on vendors and partners.”</p> <p>The key to success for technology providers like Freshworks, suggests Swaminathan, is openness. Gone are the days when enterprise software specialists maintained a strong firewall that kept customers locked to their limited set of services. In the AI era, companies must be open to new interfaces and partnerships.</p> <p>“Every single player has to coexist with the rest of the players, and interoperability is going to be the biggest thing that drives success,” he says. “You can’t force customers to say you have to use this tool or that tool. The customer is going to use the tool of their choice, and you have to be able to embed yourself or connect to that tool.”</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Understanding the technology roadmap"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Understanding the technology roadmap</h2> <p>While the announcements at the event highlight Freshworks’ desire to prepare for an agentic future, Swaminathan says customers should be aware that the company’s new features aren’t only focused on agents. He says the firm is aiming for breadth and depth, both in the features it offers and the ways it supports its clients.</p> <p>“I meet many customers, and not everybody’s ready to embrace AI yet,” he adds. “They have their own challenges. So, we are in this mode where we still have to support folks who don’t use AI and those who do. That reality means everything we build has to be built with a mindset that says, ‘Okay, the world is moving, but not moving as fast as the technology is changing.’”</p> <p>Swaminathan’s point is an interesting one – sometimes, technology suppliers, perhaps unwittingly, innovate faster than their customers can absorb. Speaking to Computer Weekly at the event, Shannon Kalvar, research director at analyst IDC, discusses Freshworks’ strategy.</p> <p>“What they’re trying to say is that we can help mid-sized enterprises to achieve the end goal you’re headed towards, which is a world where you are working with your digital estate, not just as a productivity tool, but as a production tool,” he says. “They were saying, ‘It’s the world you already find yourself in, but you’re not ready.’”</p> <p>Kalvar suggests that enterprises need to become agile organisations – and reaching this position might require a heavy lift for slower-moving firms. For Freshworks, like for all enterprise software providers, pushing transformation at the right pace for digital leaders is crucial. So, should Freshworks develop a strategy to help its customers manage cultural change?</p> <p>The answer, says Swaminathan, is maybe. He stresses that the company already has an AI advisory group to help guide customers through the change process. While companies will have to deal with the “heavy stuff” behind the scenes, Swaminathan recognises that the rise of agentic AI poses new challenges and that advisory input can be crucial.</p> <p>“A lot of the functionality we have in the product, you can turn it on and start using it,” he says. “But AI is one area where we will have to guide customers through the process. So, with our AI advisory and some of our specialised engineering, we want to help by providing white-glove service to the right customers, because that’s how we think they can be successful.”</p> <p>Regardless of the route to the destination, one thing is certain: Freshworks’ future is all about embracing AI. So far, the market likes the moves the company is making. Before the New York event, the company presented its quarterly results in an earnings call. In Q1 2026, revenue rose 16% year-over-year to $228.6m.</p> <p>During the call, Freshworks announced it would lay off roughly 500 employees (around 11% of staff). The company’s CEO, Dennis Woodside, stated the cuts are due to over 50% of the company’s code now being written by AI, reducing the need for traditional manual coding and allowing the company to streamline operations.</p> <p>Woodside says on the earnings call: “About over half of our code is originated in AI today, and like many other software companies, that is definitely changing how we build products, how fast we can build products, and the amount of people who we need to build products.”</p> <p>Freshworks is <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642756/Tech-sector-job-losses-show-AI-replacement-in-action">far from alone in announcing IT job cuts</a> and joins an ever-growing list of technology firms that are seeing the power of AI-enabled code. At the event, Swaminathan tells Computer Weekly that the company recognises that innovation velocity has increased with AI-enabled development.</p> <p>“That capability means we can do more quickly,” he says. “The speed and agility are where we’re seeing the difference, right? So, that’s what we have to figure out: how do we level up our engineers to do bigger things faster?”</p> <p>Asked to paint a picture of how Freshworks and its services will look three years from now, Swaminathan says it won’t just be his company that uses AI heavily. He says AI-powered services will continue to mature, as will customers’ approaches, including firms that are slower to embrace AI right now.</p> <p>“I said earlier that not everyone is ready for AI,” he says. “In three years, every customer will be there. That means we won’t need two ways to support customers; instead, everyone will be using AI. That means a lot of the workflows will be autonomous, and every single feature will be AI native or AI-powered.”</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about AI in EX and CX</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/CXEXBG-with-added-AI-A-winning-formula-for-customer-experience">CX+EX=BG</a>, with added AI: A winning formula for customer experience.</li> <li>The <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/opinion/The-future-of-CX-is-AI-powered-and-human-centric">future of CX is AI-powered and human-centric</a>.</li> <li>Elevate <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/feature/Elevate-customer-experience-with-AI-and-analytics">customer experience with AI and analytics</a>.</li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> Freshworks is pivoting to AI-driven employee experience, launching its AI Agent Studio, MCP Gateway and AI dashboards https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/Hero%20Images/Customer-experience-AdobeStock_323398101.jpg https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Freshworks-Refresh-2026-pivot-to-AI-driven-employee-experience Fri, 12 Jun 2026 11:20:00 GMT <p>Labour MP Jess Asato is taking legal action against Elon Musk’s xAI after its Grok chatbot was used to non-consensually fabricate sexualised images of her, marking the first ever English law claim against the generation of deepfakes.</p> <p>In a claim submitted to the High Court in London at the start of June 2026, Asato alleged that xAI – now a subsidiary of Musk’s SpaceX, which also owns X (<em>formerly Twitter</em>) – breached UK data protection law and rules around the misuse of private information in allowing users of the site to create non-consensual deepfake images and videos of her.</p> <p>Asato’s claim will seek damages from xAI and attempt to set a precedent that technology companies be <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639072/European-Commission-TikToks-addictive-design-breaches-EU-law">held responsible for their design choices</a> and the harms of the systems they create.</p> <p>“Grok created deepfake pornography and sexualised content which harmed thousands of women and children,” she said. “Its ability is not an accident, nor misuse, it is a design choice by its creators. In launching this case, I am pursuing accountability for those choices.</p> <p>“I hope this legal action also gives voice to the thousands of victims in the UK, women, girls and horrifically even children who were abused by Grok. I am calling on anyone in the UK who experienced the misuse of their image or video by Grok to come forward and support our legal claim.”</p> <p>Ravi Naik, the legal director of legal firm <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366618479/High-Court-Sky-Betting-parasitic-in-targeting-problem-gambler">AWO</a> who is representing Asato, added that, “at its heart, this case is about a single principle – that AI developers must answer for the way they design their tools…No one should be subjected to abuse like this, and no one should have to instruct a lawyer to get images like these taken down.”</p> <p>He added while the firm has already secured the removal of the offending images, it is now seeking redress and accountability for Asato. “This content existed because of design choices made by xAI, and technology of this kind does not simply happen – it is built and it is built deliberately,” said Naik.</p> <p>“Grok was designed in a way that permitted the creation of non-consensual, sexualised and misogynistic images of women – and that outcome was a choice, not a glitch. This is one of the first claims to test liability for the design of an AI system, and we hope it will make it clear to AI developers that safety cannot be an afterthought.”</p> <p>Asato’s case has since been <a href="https://www.onlinesafetyact.net/analysis/statement-about-jess-asato-legal-action-against-xai/">backed by more than 100 campaigners and organisations</a> – including Women’s Aid, Refuge, Rape Crisis England &amp; Wales, the Fawcett Society, the Mental Health Foundation and the Molly Rose Foundation – which have published a joint statement backing the MP.</p> <p>“We hope that this will be a first step towards accountability for those responsible and that it will open a path to redress for the many, many other victims who have suffered,” they said. “Researchers found that in an 11-day period – from the start of December 29th 2025 to the end of January 8th 2026 – Grok generated an estimated 3 million non-consensual sexualised images of women and children, which were widely disseminated on X, causing untold harm.&nbsp;</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> Technology of this kind does not simply happen – it is built and it is built deliberately </figure> <figcaption> <strong>Ravi Naik, AWO</strong> </figcaption> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> <p>“To date, there has been no justice for any of the victims. We believe that xAI must be held legally accountable to ensure that no AI tool or social media platform can ever repeat such awful harms against women, children or anyone.”</p> <p>The UK government previously condemned X in January 2026 after Grok was used to produce vast quantities of sexualised images based on real women, and in some cases children, with <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jan/12/uk-threatens-action-against-x-over-sexualised-ai-images-of-women-and-children">senior politicians claiming</a> the company “is not doing enough to keep its customers safe online”.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366636925/Ofcom-begins-investigation-of-explicit-image-generation-on-Grok">media regulator, Ofcom, then launched a formal inquiry the same month</a>, saying it would work to establish whether X has failed to comply with its legal obligations under the <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/The-UKs-Online-Safety-Act-explained-what-you-need-to-know">Online Safety Act</a>.</p> <p>Among the areas of investigation is an assessment of the risk of people in the UK seeing content that is illegal in the UK, and whether X is taking appropriate steps to prevent people in the UK from seeing “priority” illegal content such as non-consensual intimate images. The investigation will also look at how quickly X takes down illegal content when it is made aware of it, and how it is protecting users from a breach of privacy laws.</p> <p>With regards to protecting children, Ofcom said the investigation will also assess the risk the Grok AI service poses to UK children, and the effectiveness of X to use age assurance to protect UK children from seeing pornography.</p> <p><a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2009714966169870804">In a post on X</a> from 9 January 2026, Musk said the UK wants “any excuse for censorship”.</p> <p>Computer Weekly contacted xAI about Asato’s legal action, as well as Ofcom’s investigation, but received no response.</p> <p><a href="https://refuge.org.uk/news/grok-image-abuse-statement/">Emma Pickering</a>, head of technology-facilitated abuse and economic empowerment at Refuge, the charity which provides specialist support for women and children experiencing domestic violence, previously called for tech companies to be held accountable for implementing effective safeguards and preventing perpetrators from causing harm.</p> <p>“Legislation to criminalise creating, or requesting the creation of, non-consensual deepfake intimate images has progressed through Parliament, but we are still waiting for the law to come into effect,” she said.</p> <p>While the sharing of real and synthetic intimate images without consent is illegal in the UK, she pointed out that in practice, the law is not being effectively enforced, with woefully low conviction rates.</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about online safety</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366643835/Age-verification-tech-could-put-children-at-greater-risk-says-think-tank">Age verification tech could put children at greater risk, says think tank</a>: UK proposals for mandatory age verification will not mitigate children’s exposure to harmful content and ‘addictive’ app design, and risks excluding vulnerable groups from online services, says Foundation for Information Policy Research.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639234/Businesses-may-be-caught-by-government-proposals-to-restrict-VPN-use">Businesses may be caught by government proposals to restrict VPN use</a>: Labour proposals to restrict social media use to people aged 16 and under could have unintended consequences for businesses using virtual private networks.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366623592/Government-and-Ofcom-disagree-about-scope-of-Online-Safety-Act">Government and Ofcom disagree about scope of Online Safety Act</a>: MPs heard different views from the online harms regulator and the UK government about whether and how the Online Safety Act obliges platforms to deal with disinformation.</li> </ul> </div> </div> After xAI’s Grok chatbot was used to create sexualised images and videos of her, Labour MP Jess Asato is taking legal action against the company in a bid to hold the firm accountable for the harms associated with its design choices https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/Hero%20Images/Grok-Social-Media-AI-X-adobe-2.jpg https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366644374/Labour-MP-Jess-Asato-launches-legal-action-over-Grok-deepfakes Fri, 12 Jun 2026 11:05:00 GMT <p>This week in tech was defined by a wave of AI-driven restructuring and escalating industry tension, as Salesforce laid off more staff, xAI faced a lawsuit over AI safety and Oracle was hit with fresh breach. Meanwhile, Anthropic moved to expand access to its Mythos system through a guarded public release and Apple pushed deeper into the AI race with a major Siri overhaul.</p> <p>Here's what you need to know from the week starting June 8, plus the latest updates in IPOs and executive leadership.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Apple unveils new Siri AI"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Apple unveils new Siri AI</h2> <p>This week, Apple unveiled Siri AI, a redesign of its voice assistant, at its Worldwide Developers.</p> <p>According to a <a href="https://www.apple.com/uk/newsroom/2026/06/apple-introduces-siri-ai-a-profoundly-more-capable-and-personal-assistant/">blog post</a> by Apple, the new Siri AI will be a “profoundly more capable and conversational assistant with personal context understanding, broad world knowledge, and onscreen awareness.” The new assistant can carry out multi-step requests, understand information across apps, analize images and access real-time information from the web, according to the company.</p> <p>Apple is positioning the <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/definition/Siri">Siri</a> upgrade as the next phase of its Apple Intelligence strategy and a direct response to growing competition from OpenAI, Google, Anthropic and Microsoft.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Salesforce cuts staff"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Salesforce cuts staff</h2> <p>On 8 June, Salesforce announced a further round of <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/feature/Tech-sector-layoffs-explained-What-you-need-to-know">layoffs</a>, with 86 employees affected. Many of those impacted were members of the Agentforce team, the company's flagship artificial intelligence platform.</p> <p>The cuts mark Salesforce's second round of layoffs in 2026, following the elimination of approximately 1,000 roles in January as part of a wider restructuring effort.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Anthropic announces public version of Mythos AI model"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Anthropic announces public version of Mythos AI model</h2> <p>Anthropic launched Claude Fable 5, the first publicly accessible version of its highly capable Mythos AI system, but with specific guardrails in place.</p> <p>The first versions of Mythos were restricted to government agencies and a number of cybersecurity organizations due to concerns about its advanced capabilities.</p> <p>In order to secure Claude Fable 5, the company ran over 1000 hours of jailbreak testing.</p> <p>Claude Fable 5 has been designed with several capabilities, including:&nbsp;</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Advanced coding assistance.</li> <li>Software engineering workflows.</li> <li>Cybersecurity defense work.</li> <li>Research and analysis.</li> <li>Long-form task execution.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="xAI faces lawsuit over AI safety concerns"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>xAI faces lawsuit over AI safety concerns</h2> <p>Elon Musk's AI company, xAI, is facing a lawsuit from former engineer Devin Kim, who alleges he was dismissed after raising concerns about AI safety.</p> <p>The lawsuit claims that Kim voiced concerns about issues including discrimination, misuse and broader risks linked to advanced AI systems before being terminated. According to the lawsuit, Kim voiced his concerns while working on Grok, xAI’s chatbot. The lawsuit does not directly target Elon Musk, but instead focuses on Kim’s ex-supervisor, Jimmy Ba.</p> <p>Kim is seeking compensation and a court declaration that the conduct of xAI and SpaceX was unlawful.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="ShinyHunters claim Oracle breach"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>ShinyHunters claim Oracle breach&nbsp;</h2> <p>Cybercriminal group ShinyHunters claimed responsibility for a breach involving Oracle PeopleSoft servers, alleging that it accessed and stole sensitive customer information.</p> <p>PeopleSoft is an enterprise HR software thatmanages payroll, admin and other HR operations.</p> <p>The breach is said to have mainly impacted universities, with hackers claiming to have stolen student record data.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Investors rush into historic SpaceX IPO"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Investors rush into historic SpaceX IPO&nbsp;</h2> <p>Investor enthusiasm surrounding SpaceX has reached unprecedented levels, with reports indicating that retail demand for the company's initial public offering has exceeded $70 billion.</p> <p>The surge in demand reflects both SpaceX’s dominant position in the market and the broader excitement around the company’s future. If the listing proceeds at this level of demand, it is likely to set a significant benchmark for future tech IPOs and could reshape expectations around valuation in the private space and deep-tech sectors.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Iran-backed hackers threaten the World Cup"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Iran-backed hackers threaten the World Cup</h2> <p>On Friday, an Iran-linked hacking group known as Handala claimed that it had gained access to FBI surveillance drones, according to SITE Intelligence Group, a cybersecurity monitoring group. The drones could be used to threaten the 2026 World Cup.</p> <p>Handala said that it has had access to footage and data collected by the FBI's first-person view (FPV) drones "for months," according to SITE. The hackers claim that the World Cup could be under threat.</p> <p>In a statement cited by SITE, the group said: “Better tighten your World Cup security, we don’t like some of those teams at all. Don’t forget: FPVs are everywhere; you never know when one might end up right in your team’s bus.”</p> <p>The FBI is using drones around the stadiums hosting World Cup matches as part of security operations that prevent unauthorized aircraft activity.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Executive moves"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Executive moves&nbsp;</h2> <ul class="default-list"> <li><b>Kemal Cetin.</b> Mars<b> </b>appointed Kemal Cetin as its new global chief digital and information officer, effective August 3. Cetin is currently chief business and digital solutions officer at global dairy company FrieslandCampina.</li> <li><b>Paul Colangelo.</b> Casepoint, a legal technology company, appointed Paul Colangelo as its new chief executive officer. Colangelo was previously founder and CEO of Neumo, a government software development firm.</li> <li><b>Sarang Fegde.</b> On June 10, Podean appointed former Amazon executive, Sarang Fegde, as chief technology officer. Fegde will also sit as a member of the company’s board of directors.</li> </ul> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="IPO watch"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>IPO watch</h2> <p>The U.S. IPO market remains a key indicator of broader tech sentiment. Here's a look at the latest listings and activity from the past week, based on data from the Nasdaq IPO calendar:</p> <h3>Ocean Capital Acquisition Corp.</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li>A special purpose acquisition company.</li> <li>Opening/trading day: June 9.</li> <li>IPO price: $10/share.</li> </ul> <h3>WhiteHawk Minerals Corp.</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li>A natural gas mineral and royalty company.</li> <li>Opening/trading day: June 9.</li> <li>IPO price: $26/share.</li> </ul> <h3>Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li>A clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company.</li> <li>Opening/trading day: June 9.</li> <li>IPO price: $11/share.</li> </ul> <h3>Snow Rothschild Acquisition Corp.</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li>A special purpose acquisition company.</li> <li>Opening/trading day: June 9.</li> <li>IPO price: $10/share.</li> </ul> <h3>Parabilis Medicines, Inc.</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li>A clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company.</li> <li>Opening/trading day: June 10.</li> <li>IPO price: $20/share.</li> </ul> <h3>JAB Acquisition Corp I</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li>A blank check company.</li> <li>Opening/trading day: June 10.</li> <li>IPO price: $10/share.</li> </ul> <h3>ERock, Inc.</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li>A power generation systems company.</li> <li>Expected opening/trading day: June 10.</li> <li>IPO price: $21.50/share.</li> </ul> <h3>RMG ML Sports Holdings</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li>A special purpose acquisition company.</li> <li>Opening/trading day: June 10.</li> <li>IPO price: $10/share.</li> </ul> <h3>Forbright, Inc.</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li>A financial services platform.</li> <li>Expected opening/trading day: June 11.</li> <li>IPO price: $18-20/share.</li> </ul> <h3>Space Exploration Technologies Corp.</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li>An aerospace manufacturer, transport and satellite communications company.</li> <li>Expected opening/trading day: June 12.</li> <li>IPO price: $135/share.&nbsp;</li> </ul> <p><i>Rosa Heaton is a content manager and writer for the IT Strategy team at TechTarget.</i></p> </section> Stay up to date with the latest U.S. tech news, IPOs and executive moves shaping the industry each week. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/maze_g467037520.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/feature/Weekly-news-roundup-Siri-AI-Salesforce-layoffs-xAI-lawsuit-and-Anthropic-expands-Mythos-access Fri, 12 Jun 2026 11:01:00 GMT Fri, 12 Jun 2026 10:46:00 GMT <p>For those who manage phone systems, a key responsibility is ensuring that calls to 911 are sent to the proper answering point, and accurate caller location information is available to emergency call center operators.</p> <p>That task has been complicated by three fundamental paradigm shifts in the communications and calling space:</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Employees are increasingly untethered to specific locations. They might work from home, a public space or from multiple <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/tip/Understanding-hot-desking-pros-and-cons-for-the-hybrid-office">hot desking workspaces</a> within company offices.</li> <li>More employees are relying on mobile devices -- personal or company-provided -- as their primary means of communication.</li> <li>Cloud-based calling services are replacing on-premises private branch exchanges (PBXs), with varying capabilities to track user location. The near ubiquity of mobile phones adds another challenge: Organizations might not be notified when a 911 call is placed from a personal smartphone within an office location.</li> </ul> <p>The days of simply managing desktop telephones at fixed locations are over.</p> <p>An effective Enhanced 911 (E911) compliance strategy has two important functions:</p> <ol class="default-list"> <li>To maintain accurate phone location information, regardless of the type of endpoint and whether it is on the enterprise network or remotely connected to company-provided phone services.</li> <li>To ensure 911 calls are transmitted to the proper emergency call center (ECC) or public safety answering point (PSAP) based on the caller's current location. For example, if a person with a company office in Chicago is working from home in Milwaukee, the 911 call must reach the 911 operator in Milwaukee so emergency personnel are dispatched to the right location.</li> </ol> <p>Meeting these goals in an ever-changing environment requires a proactive approach. Improper <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/answer/How-do-you-manage-cloud-telephony-E911-location-information">location management and call routing</a> make an organization vulnerable to regulatory liability, civil risk and, more importantly, employee health and safety.</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> Meeting these goals in an ever-changing environment requires a proactive approach. Improper location management and call routing make an organization vulnerable to regulatory liability, civil risk and, more importantly, employee health and safety. </figure> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Steps to ensure compliance and minimize risk"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Steps to ensure compliance and minimize risk</h2> <p><b>Editor's note:</b><i> This tip provides no legal guidance. We recommend those responsible for 911 location and call routing management consult with appropriate legal counsel to determine their organization's risk and potential liability.</i></p> <h3>1. Assess regulatory compliance</h3> <p>In the United States, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fcc.gov/mlts-911-requirements" rel="noopener">two primary laws</a> govern 911 compliance: Kari's Law and RAY BAUM's Act.</p> <ul class="default-list"> <li>Kari's Law requires new multiline phone systems sold, leased or installed after Feb. 16, 2020, to directly dial 911 without needing to use a prefix, such as an 8 or 9, to reach an outside line. It also requires appropriate personnel, such as on-site security individuals, to be notified whenever a 911 call is made, and mandates that 911 calls sent to an ECC/PSAP have a valid callback number.</li> <li>RAY BAUM's Act, Section 506, requires calls sent to 911 operators provide a "dispatchable location," which the Federal Communications Commission defines as "a location delivered to the PSAP with a 911 call that consists of the validated street address of the calling party, plus additional information such as suite, apartment, or similar information necessary to adequately identify the location of the calling party." In most cases, first responders arrive and require security personnel to escort them to the caller, so it's critical for those individuals to know the specific location where the 911 call originated.</li> </ul> <p>Nearly 64% of organizations are compliant with both Kari's Law and RAY BAUM's Act, according to Metrigy's "Employee Engagement Optimization: 2025" <a href="https://metrigy.com/product/employee-engagement-optimization-2025/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> of 400 companies. This is only a slight increase from 2023 when 63% of companies reported compliance with both laws. In addition to these federal regulations, several states and cities have their own regulations covering the segmentation of large facilities and how 911 calls are sent to local PSAPs. Addressing risk means ensuring E911 compliance for all employees, in all locations, on all endpoints.</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">911 compliance checklist for enterprise phone systems</h3> <p>Use these checks to review whether your 911 compliance strategy covers the main risk areas:</p> <p>✓ Users can dial 911 directly without first dialing a prefix for an outside line.</p> <p>✓ Designated internal personnel, such as security or front desk staff, are notified when a 911 call is placed.</p> <p>✓ Calls include a dispatchable location, such as building, floor, suite or room information.</p> <p>✓ Location information accounts for remote and hybrid workers.</p> <p>✓ Personal and company-provided mobile phones are addressed in the emergency response plan.</p> <p>✓ UCaaS, SIP trunking and calling providers support 911 location management, call routing and testing.</p> <p>✓ Providers have a plan to support NG911 requirements as they continue to evolve.</p> <p>✓ The organization regularly tests 911 routing and location information across major endpoint types.</p> </div> </div> <h3>2. Mitigate risk</h3> <p>IT leaders should assess what tools are available to them from their phone system providers to help them meet regulatory requirements, and then determine what changes or additional deployments might be needed to ensure compliance. Network-level protocols can help track the location of desktop phones, but pinpointing softphones and mobile phones requires additional investment in dedicated 911 location management tools -- especially in mixed PBX or <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/definition/cloud-telephony-cloud-calling">cloud calling</a> platform environments.</p> <p>Organizations should also evaluate 911 management and call routing capabilities from their <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/definition/SIP-trunking">Session Initiation Protocol trunking</a> providers if they have their own public switched telephone network connectivity. Metrigy research finds that approximately half of companies rely on third-party or managed services to handle 911 location and call routing management. Such platforms might offer additional benefits, such as misdial prevention and 911 call recording.</p> <h3>3. Go beyond phones</h3> <p>Once a call is placed to 911 and the appropriate security personnel have been notified, consider how the 911 call is integrated into an emergency response plan. Vendors like Intrado, 911inform and RedSky Technologies offer the ability to integrate 911 calls into <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/definition/IT-incident-management">incident management</a> platforms, enabling security personnel to not only identify a caller's location, but potentially tie that call into other available data from IoT devices, including cameras, sensors and door locks.</p> <p>In some cases, it might be possible to share this information with first responders so they can assess the situation. In addition, consider mobile phone-specific location management capabilities from vendors like 911inform.</p> <h3>4. Plan for Next Generation 911 (NG911)</h3> <p><a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/tip/Companies-prep-for-NG911-implementation-but-hurdles-remain">NG911 revamps location management</a> by enabling phones to determine their location via a variety of information sources, including GPS, and to transmit real-time location data to the PSAP at the time of a 911 call. Advanced capabilities support new communication modalities, such as text to 911, and let devices share video with first responders.</p> <p>The FCC has also adopted NG911 transition rules for originating service providers. While most enterprises will not manage that transition directly, IT teams should understand how their providers plan to support NG911 requirements, including IP-based 911 traffic delivery, location information and connectivity testing.</p> <h3>5. Include mobile phones</h3> <p>Today, almost everyone carries a mobile device, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nena.org/page/911statistics" rel="noopener">statistics</a> show that approximately 80% of 911 calls are placed via these devices. Even if a company has a rock-solid plan for an enterprise phone system, it's very likely employees will use their personal or company-provided mobile phones to call 911 -- especially if their only option is a company-provided mobile device.</p> <p>These calls are <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/tip/Fixed-mobile-convergence-could-solve-UC-services-gap">handled by wireless carriers</a> that likely won't be able to notify on-site personnel that a call was made or the caller's exact location Products from vendors, including 911inform, address this issue by enabling mobile operators to map enterprise offices and provide on-site notification when a 911 call is made from a mobile phone.</p> <h3>6. Test, test, test</h3> <p>Configuring 911 location and call routing management isn't something that's done once and then forgotten. Ensure your organization has a regular schedule of tests across all potential calling endpoints. If it's available, use <a target="_blank" href="https://support.bandwidth.com/hc/en-us/articles/210291778-The-933-service" rel="noopener">933 testing</a> to minimize calls into actual PSAPs. And, as part of your training program, ensure employees are aware of any potential limitations in 911 call routing.</p> <p>Addressing each of these 911 compliance issues creates a high likelihood that, when an employee places a 911 call, it goes to the correct ECC/PSAP and with the caller's accurate location. It also means a more effective response to any incidents that might have triggered the initial call.</p> <p><b>Editor's note:</b> <em>This article was updated to improve clarity and reflect current 911 compliance considerations. </em></p> <p><i>Irwin Lazar is president and principal analyst at Metrigy, where he leads coverage on the digital workplace. His research focus includes unified communications, VoIP, video conferencing and team collaboration.</i></p> </section> Multivendor phone systems can complicate E911 management. Third-party platforms can help centralize call routing, location management and compliance. https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/onlineimages/telecommunications_g1200200188.jpg https://www.techtarget.com/searchunifiedcommunications/tip/5-key-strategies-to-ensure-E911-compliance Fri, 12 Jun 2026 10:34:00 GMT 60 webmaster@techtarget.com