TL;DR:
- Cisco introduces AI-focused tools at the Webex One conference.
- Real-Time Media Model (RMM) enhances audio and video with generative AI.
- New AI audio codec increases efficiency and maintains audio quality.
- Webex AI Assistant streamlines AI tooling for users.
- Privacy controls emphasize customer and user data protection.
- Release timeline: Webex AI Assistant in 2023, enhanced version in early 2024, AI audio codec in H1 2024.
Main AI News:
Cisco unveiled a suite of cutting-edge AI tools during the Webex One customer conference. These tools are meticulously crafted to optimize performance and streamline meeting-related tasks, heralding a new era of automation in collaboration technology.
For quite some time, Cisco has harnessed the capabilities of a robust language model to offer services such as meeting transcriptions and translations. However, recognizing the unique demands of Webex users, the company sought to develop a tailored solution that goes beyond the capabilities of a generic Large Language Model (LLM). Jeetu Patel, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Cisco’s Security and Collaboration Business Units, emphasized the need to push the boundaries further.
The centerpiece of this announcement is the introduction of a Real-Time Media Model (RMM), a groundbreaking addition that complements the LLM. This innovative RMM leverages generative AI to revolutionize audio and video, enriching textual content with depth and context. Among its multifaceted functionalities, RMM excels in noise reduction, gesture recognition, and enhancing speech and video quality, among other enhancements.
Accompanying the RMM is an AI-powered audio codec that marks a significant leap in efficiency. This revolutionary audio codec, built using AI, offers up to 16 times greater efficiency in bandwidth utilization compared to its predecessors. In practical terms, this means transmitting a packet can now be achieved with just one kilobit, or sometimes even less. Moreover, the codec’s AI capabilities come into play when packets are lost during transmission, ensuring the restoration of lost data and maintaining exceptional audio quality. In essence, the AI codec enables crystal-clear audio transmission, even in the face of substantial packet loss, reaching levels as high as 80% to 90%.
A pivotal component in this suite is the Webex AI Assistant, designed to seamlessly integrate and orchestrate the entire array of AI tools at users’ disposal. This multifaceted assistant leverages LLM-driven functions, empowering users to craft messages, refine message tones, and provide comprehensive meeting and message summaries within Webex. In concert with the RMM, the assistant augments its capabilities, enabling it to detect when users step away from a meeting and offering assistance in catching up by providing summaries, action items, or replays of meeting highlights for missed portions.
Privacy, a paramount concern in the realm of AI-driven tools, remains a focal point for Cisco. Jeetu Patel underscored the company’s commitment to respecting customer and individual user privacy. The company’s Responsible AI Principle on Privacy emphasizes the importance of incorporating privacy controls into the technology to ensure ethical and responsible data usage. In practice, this means that customers and users have the power to control how their data is utilized. Notably, Cisco empowers employees to disable the “away from computer” feature if they have concerns about surveillance. Furthermore, the company affirms that customer data is not utilized to train its various AI models.
Looking ahead, these innovations are set to revolutionize the Webex landscape. The Webex AI Assistant is slated for release later this year, while an enhanced version featuring RMM capabilities, including the “away from computer” feature, is scheduled to debut in early 2024. In the first half of 2024, Cisco will launch the AI audio codec, promising a transformative leap in audio quality and efficiency. With these AI-driven enhancements, Cisco is poised to redefine the future of collaboration technology, delivering unprecedented levels of productivity and user experience.
Conclusion:
Cisco’s strategic introduction of AI tools promises to revolutionize the collaboration technology market. The Real-Time Media Model (RMM) and AI audio codec offer unparalleled efficiency and quality in audio and video communication, while the Webex AI Assistant simplifies the user experience. By prioritizing privacy controls, Cisco demonstrates a commitment to ethical AI usage, setting a benchmark for responsible technology adoption. These innovations position Cisco as a leader in the evolving landscape of collaboration technology, with the potential to reshape how businesses and individuals communicate and collaborate.
