44 INTERVIEW Adding intelligence where it matters Irina Shamkova from Intermedia Intelligent Communications explains how the company is weaving AI into everyday communications workflows – and why AI works most effectively when it helps people do their best work For many organisations, the gap between AI’s promise and its practical use comes down to integration. Bolt-on tools that sit alongside existing workflows rarely get used. The secret is embedding intelligence in the tools people already use. Understanding this is key to Intermedia’s proposition. In fact, it shapes everything the company does. Founded in 1993 and today serving over 150,000 businesses through its AI-powered cloud platform that includes voice, video conferencing, chat, SMS, contact centre, business email, file sharing and more, the Sunnyvale-based company has built its strategy around embedding AI where work actually happens – not asking employees to go somewhere new to find it. “We see AI not as a standalone feature, but as an intelligence layer embedded across communications, collaboration and customer engagement workflows,” says Irina Shamkova, chief product officer for Intermedia Intelligent Communications. “Our strategy is focused on helping businesses operationalise AI in practical ways – through AI-powered agents, interaction insights and workflow automation that are tightly integrated into the communication tools employees already use every day.” A key enabler of that strategy, says Shamkova, is Intermedia’s combination of unified communications and contact centre capabilities within a single cloud platform. Where many vendors offer these as separate products, Intermedia’s integrated approach allows AI to be applied consistently across meetings, calling, messaging and customer interactions. “This creates a more connected and intelligent experience for both employees and customers,” she says. The company also takes what Shamkova describes as a dual approach to AI adoption – supporting organisations that want simple, quickly deployable self-service capabilities alongside those that need more tailored solutions aligned to specific business processes. “Our roadmap supports both standardised AI agents and more customised AI-driven workflows, allowing organisations to adopt the technology at the pace and level of sophistication that fits their particular business needs,” she says. For employees, the most immediate benefits come from the removal of low-value administrative work. “A large portion of the working day is often spent documenting conversations, coordinating follow-ups, retrieving information and updating systems,” says Shamkova. “AI can automate many of those activities in the background. It can generate summaries, identify action items, surface insights and help organise work far more efficiently.” The goal, Shamkova emphasises, is not to add another layer of tools for employees to navigate, but to surface the right information within the communication experience they are already in. “Rather than forcing employees to search BY LINDSAY JAMES “ We see AI not as a standalone feature, but as an intelligence layer embedded across communications, collaboration and customer engagement workflows”
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