Cisco WebexOne 2025: Agentic AI, RoomOS Edge, and Cross Platform Collaboration

Cisco’s WebexOne announcements mark a clear pivot: collaboration hardware and software are no longer only about video and chat — they’re about agentic AI that takes actions, and Cisco is leaning into openness by embedding Microsoft’s Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP) on its RoomOS devices while also adding native Zoom and Teams experiences to the same hardware portfolio.

Background / Overview​

Cisco used WebexOne 2025 to reposition Webex and its devices as a platform for “Connected Intelligence”: a vision where AI agents sit alongside people inside meetings and operational processes, not just summarizing conversations but executing follow‑up tasks, updating systems, and helping IT teams triage and remediate issues. That strategy bundles three big themes: device‑edge intelligence (powered by NVIDIA hardware and a new RoomOS variant), cross‑vendor openness (native Teams and Zoom experiences on Cisco devices), and an operations‑first approach to governance and observability through Webex Control Hub and Cisco’s new AI Canvas.
Simultaneously, Cisco announced direct support for Microsoft’s Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP) on its NVIDIA‑powered devices running the RoomOS update (marketed as RoomOS 26). That move promises to make Cisco endpoints certified to run the Microsoft Teams Rooms experience while still being managed by Cisco’s Control Hub and benefiting from Cisco’s security and device management features. Microsoft’s MDEP is an Android‑based platform designed for secure, manageable Teams‑certified devices; the platform includes hardware attestation, device integrity signals, and management hooks for Intune and Azure-based conditional access.
Lowe’s — the example highlighted repeatedly by Cisco during the event — illustrates the practical pressure driving these announcements: reducing device variety in meeting rooms and enabling field teams to deploy and manage rooms quickly via a centralized portal. Lowe’s claimed it cut installation time dramatically by consolidating to a simple touch panel and a Room Bar Pro, and by using Webex Control Hub for centralized management; that real-world story was used to underline why customers want simpler hardware choices and cross‑platform compatibility.

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What Cisco announced at WebexOne​

Agentic AI: from notes to actions​

Cisco unveiled a set of “agentic” features inside the Webex AI Assistant and Webex Suite designed to do more than transcribe or summarize. Key agents announced include:

• Notetaker agent — on‑device or cloud‑coordinated meeting transcription and summarization for in‑room conversations and huddles.
• Task agent — extracts action items and acts on them (e.g., create/update tickets in ITSM, create leads in CRM).
• Polling agent — monitors meeting flow and suggests or launches polls (Slido integration).
• Meeting scheduler — proposes and schedules follow‑ups by checking calendars and participant lists.
• AI Receptionist — a 24/7 virtual receptionist within Webex Calling and contact center flows.

Cisco framed these as operational tools that deliver measurable ROI in contact centers, meeting follow‑through, and IT remediation. The company emphasized phased rollouts (late 2025 into 2026) and stressed governance controls inside Control Hub and the AI Canvas for observability, model selection, and audit trails.

RoomOS 26 and device‑edge intelligence​

Cisco marketed a RoomOS update (publicized as RoomOS 26) that brings more intelligence to the device edge using NVIDIA accelerators. Highlights include:

• Director agent — automated multi‑camera and framing logic for cinematic meeting views.
• Audio zones — IT‑defined boundaries so microphones only pick up intended areas (useful in open offices).
• Workspace Advisor / digital twin — create a 3D model of physical spaces to tune layouts and IT settings from Control Hub.
• On‑device Notetaker — low‑latency, privacy‑sensitive transcription running on local hardware.

Cisco says the idea is to keep latency‑sensitive and privacy‑sensitive models on the device (NVIDIA Jetson / Jetson‑class modules) while using cloud retrieval (Amazon Q index, Microsoft 365 Copilot) when broader knowledge is needed. That hybrid model is central to Cisco’s pitch for predictable, auditable AI at scale.

Cross‑platform compatibility: MDEP, Teams, Zoom​

Perhaps the most strategically notable piece is Cisco’s embrace of cross‑platform experiences:

• Cisco will integrate Microsoft Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP) on its RoomOS devices so customers can run Microsoft Teams Rooms natively on Cisco hardware while preserving centralized management and Cisco features. Microsoft’s MDEP docs explain the platform’s hardware attestation, Intune hooks, and device‑integrity telemetry — all critical for enterprise zero‑trust policies.
• Cisco also announced a Zoom app for RoomOS (Zoom for Cisco Rooms), enabling a native Zoom meeting experience on Cisco endpoints. Cisco’s release notes and product pages have already added Join‑Zoom and Zoom branded buttons in recent RoomOS updates, and Cisco’s roadmap positions these capabilities as part of the Device OS refresh and interoperability push.

These moves deliberately tear down what Jeetu Patel called “walled gardens” — Cisco’s message: customers shouldn’t be forced to pick one vendor’s stack for a whole office; instead, devices should be flexible enough to host multiple vendors’ meeting apps natively. Cisco positions Control Hub as the single pane of glass to manage them.

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Why this matters to IT purchasers and architects​

Benefits: consolidation, faster deployments, and operational leverage​

• Simplified hardware footprint. Customers like Lowe’s can consolidate to two device types per room and rely on software to deliver the required meeting experiences. That reduces cabling, commissioning complexity, and the number of vendor relationships to manage.
• Faster rollouts and lower field‑skill needs. With repeatable room templates and Control Hub provisioning, IT field teams can scale installations dramatically (Lowe’s reported migrating from ~1 room/week to 3–4 rooms/day in the TechTarget account). That reduces labor bottlenecks and shortens time‑to‑value.
• Choice without compromise. Running Teams, Webex, and Zoom natively on the same hardware helps firms avoid forklift replacements as collaboration preferences shift. For mixed‑platform enterprises, native apps offer a significantly better experience than fragile browser joins or third‑party CVI approaches.
• Operational AI and measurable KPIs. Agentic functions that update CRM/ITSM systems, schedule meetings, or summarize and route tasks provide measurable business metrics: reduced MTTR, faster follow‑up completion, and contact‑center KPI improvements when used responsibly.

Governance, privacy, and security: the new top risks​

The shift from “AI that summarizes” to “AI that acts” raises several material operational and compliance risks:

• Data residency and exposure. Agents that access SharePoint, Outlook, or CRM systems via connectors need clear DPA and data processing boundaries. Enterprises should demand vendor guarantees about non‑training clauses and retention policies for RAG indexes.
• Auditability and attribution. When an AI agent edits a ticket, schedules a meeting, or updates a lead, logs must show what agent made the change, which model/version was used, and what prompts/context produced the action. This is essential for compliance, incident investigation, and legal defensibility. Cisco’s Control Hub extensions and AI Canvas explicitly target this need, but buyers should validate real audit outputs.
• Model governance & human‑in‑the‑loop. Agents must operate with clear approval gates — especially where actions can trigger financial transactions, change entitlements, or modify regulated records. Narrow pilots, RBAC, and immutable change logs are minimum controls.
• Synthetic media and deepfake risk. Cisco highlighted partnerships and tooling to detect manipulated audio/video in real time. Enterprises must include synthetic‑media detection in playbooks, particularly for contact centers and high‑value meetings.
• Device attestation and supply chain risk. MDEP’s hardware attestation features are valuable; ensure attestation signals are integrated into conditional access policies in Intune/Azure AD to prevent compromised devices from gaining privileged access. Microsoft docs show MDEP’s attestation features and how they tie into Intune policy.

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Cisco + Microsoft: practical implications of the MDEP move​

What MDEP on Cisco devices actually gives you​

• Teams certification and native UX on Cisco hardware. This removes the need for bridging or brittle CVI sessions for many meeting types and is a clear win for enterprises standardizing on Teams.
• Hardware‑backed attestation and Intune hooks. MDEP offers device integrity telemetry and a path to conditional access — useful for regulated environments.
• Centralized device management flexibility. The promise is that organizations can preserve Cisco’s device management and Webex features while running Teams experiences where desired. The degree of management parity (what properties you can control via Control Hub vs. Teams Admin Center) should be validated in pilot testing.

Caveats and verification checklist​

• RoomOS versioning. Cisco marketed “RoomOS 26” in event materials, but official support pages and release notes historically reference the 11.x family as the shipping baseline. IT teams must validate exact firmware images, feature flags, and compatibility matrices with Cisco field engineering before procurement. Treat “RoomOS 26” as a marketing label until you confirm the firmware build numbers.
• Feature parity across meeting apps. Native apps generally offer richer experiences than browser‑based joins — but there are still functional gaps (e.g., Microsoft Town Hall / certain large‑scale meeting features historically had CVI limitations). Validate the specific workflows (Town Halls, Breakout Rooms, Live Events) you rely on in pilot tests. Community reports show variability in CVI/Town Hall support historically.
• Connector scope and non‑training guarantees. If your policy prohibits vendor use of your content for model training, obtain contractual assurances. Confirm supported RAG connectors (Amazon Q index, Microsoft 365 Copilot) and the exact scope of access and retention rules.
• Operational costs & licensing. Agentic features, Copilot connectors, and contact center automations come with separate licensing and likely usage‑based costs. Model calls, retrieval services, and contact‑center transactions can amplify run costs quickly; demand predictable TCO models from vendors.

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Deployment checklist: how to pilot agentic rooms safely​

• Start with a narrow, measurable pilot. Choose a use case with repeatable inputs and clear KPIs — e.g., contact‑center call deflection rate or meeting follow‑up completion rate.
• Inventory data flows. Map every connector the agent requires (Outlook, SharePoint, CRM, ITSM), classify data sensitivity, and lock down least‑privilege permissions.
• Enable model governance. Define approved models, update cadences, acceptance tests, and rollback criteria. Use Control Hub’s AI Canvas (or equivalent) for model selection and observability.
• Require human‑in‑the‑loop for actioned items. Configure agents to propose changes by default and escalate to humans for any ticket updates, financial actions, or role changes.
• Activate device attestation & conditional access. Use MDEP‑attestation signals and Intune policies to ensure only healthy devices can access sensitive services.
• Audit & logging. Ensure every agent action produces an immutable log entry with agent identity, model ID/version, inputs, outputs, and the human approver if required.
• Measure cost per transaction. Simulate scale runs to estimate per‑action costs across model calls, retrieval APIs (Amazon Q, Copilot), and contact‑center transaction fees.
• Train and communicate. Put adoption playbooks in place — who owns onboarding, monitoring, and incident response — and make end users aware of what agents will and won’t do.

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The Cisco‑Zoom‑Microsoft triangle: strategic analysis​

Cisco’s play is deliberately pragmatic: offer enterprises the device and management features they trust while enabling customers to run the meeting app they prefer. This approach lowers migration friction and protects existing hardware investments. Microsoft gains broader Teams footprint on proven Cisco hardware with MDEP’s security posture; Zoom gains access to customers that want to keep Cisco devices but need native Zoom experiences.
Strengths of this approach:

• Customer choice and investment protection. Organizations can mix Teams, Webex, and Zoom on the same fleet.
• Operational continuity. Centralized management via Control Hub reduces fragmented device sprawl.
• Edge AI for latency and privacy. NVIDIA‑accelerated on‑device inference lets Cisco keep sensitive processing local.

Risks and open questions:

• Complexity of multi‑pane management. Managing Teams policies from Microsoft Admin Center and device lifecycle from Cisco Control Hub may introduce operational friction unless both vendors synchronize management APIs thoroughly.
• Interoperability edge cases. Large‑scale events, Town Halls, or advanced meeting features may still require native room systems or suffer from CVI limitations; test those early.
• Governance differences between vendors. Copilot, Amazon Q, and Cisco’s agentic features each have different controls and SLAs; harmonizing them in enterprise governance will take effort.

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Real world: Lowe’s case and takeaways​

Lowe’s experience — consolidating to a touch panel and a Room Bar Pro plus using Control Hub to orchestrate deployments — is an instructive example. It shows that careful device selection and strong centralized management can dramatically increase rollout velocity and reduce per‑room cost of ownership. But Lowe’s is also a single case; outcomes depend on the scale, room typologies, and the internal capability to maintain and update device templates. Organizations that emulate Lowe’s should validate local constraints (wiring, AV integrators, calendar systems) and confirm support for mixed Teams/Webex/Zoom calendar semantics.

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Final assessment and recommendation​

Cisco’s WebexOne announcements are a meaningful step toward a hybrid, multi‑vendor collaboration future. The combination of agentic AI, RoomOS device intelligence, and explicit support for Microsoft’s MDEP marks a pragmatic recognition: enterprises want choice, security, and operational consistency — and vendors must interoperate to win large, heterogeneous deployments.
For WindowsForum readers and IT decision‑makers, the defensible path is:

• Pilot narrowly and measure everything. Start with contact‑center or a single line‑of‑business where agentic actions map to clear KPIs.
• Validate firmware and release builds. Confirm the exact RoomOS firmware you’ll deploy and the corresponding MDEP images and Teams/Zoom app versions before signing purchase orders. Treat marketing labels like “RoomOS 26” as claims to be validated against release notes.
• Tighten governance before enabling autonomy. Require logged approvals for any agent that executes actions on systems of record.
• Use MDEP attestation with conditional access. Where regulatory or security risk is material, require device attestation and Intune‑driven conditional access signals.
• Plan for observability and audit. Ensure Control Hub and your SIEM trace all agent decisions, model versions, and connector calls.

Cisco’s messaging is pragmatic and attractive — but the real work is organizational. The next 12–18 months will reveal whether agentic AI becomes a reliable productivity multiplier or a new surface for governance headaches. Enterprises that combine cautious pilots, strong governance, and clear KPIs will be best positioned to capture real value while avoiding the pitfalls others may encounter.

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Conclusion
The WebexOne era is about practical, operational AI in meeting rooms — not just prettier video. By marrying device‑edge intelligence, cross‑vendor app support (Teams, Webex, Zoom), and management‑centric governance, Cisco is making a clear bet that enterprises prefer flexibility and control over single‑vendor lock‑in. That bet should appeal to IT teams focused on long‑term TCO and device reuse, provided they approach agentic features with the same rigor they use for any production automation: narrow pilots, immutable logs, human‑approval gates, and contractual clarity on data use. The technology roadmap is promising; the governance and operational discipline will determine whether it becomes a business advantage or an avoidable risk.

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Source: TechTarget Cisco and Microsoft deepen partnership for meetings, AI | TechTarget