What It Means: A Forrester Podcast

In this insightful discussion, Craig Le Clair, VP and Principal Analyst at Forrester, and Christina McAllister, Senior Analyst at Forrester, dive into the differences between AI agents and agentic AI. They explore how AI agents enhance customer service and workforce transformation while highlighting the balance of trust and efficiency. The conversation navigates the complexities of AI adoption in businesses and the importance of focusing on outcomes. Listeners will gain a fresh perspective on integrating AI in practical, innovative ways.

What distinguishes a manager from a coach-like leader? This week, Principal Analyst Betsy Summers and VP and Principal Analyst Peter Ostrow explore the evolving role of managers and how adopting coaching behaviors can empower teams for long-term success. They also preview their session on the topic at Forrester’s upcoming B2B Summit North America.

Michele Pelino and Naveen Chhabra, both Principal Analysts at Forrester, dive into the critical role of tech infrastructure in the AI age. They discuss the pressures of semiconductor shortages and how businesses are navigating supply chain issues. The conversation highlights the stark differences in infrastructure needs across industries such as healthcare and legal sectors. They also explore the evolving demand for AI in enterprises versus consumers and the transformative impact of technology influenced by advancements in 5G and satellite connectivity.

Procurement is taking a more strategic role in two key areas. On this episode, Principal Analyst Gina Bhawalkar and Senior Analyst Jeffrey Rajamani discuss the opportunities for enterprises to align their procurement strategies with ESG and accessibility compliance goals.

Cryptocurrency is in the spotlight as a crypto-friendly US administration takes office. What might the coming months bring in terms of regulation? And how might uses of cryptoassets evolve? This week on What It Means, Vice President and Principal Analyst Martha Bennett and Principal Analyst Peter Wannemacher discuss the different types of cryptoassets, the state of regulation, and potential applications and risks.

What does an award-winning technology strategy look like? Find out as we highlight two of the most recent winners of Forrester’s Technology Strategy Impact Award, Best Buy and First Student.

Business and tech leaders expect (slightly) bigger budgets this year. How should they use them? On this episode of What It Means, VPs and Group Research Directors Stephanie Balaouras, Keith Johnston, and Srividya Sridharan dive into Forrester’s Budget Planning Guides’ recommendations for tech, marketing and sales, and customer experience (CX) leaders.

Despite Google’s recent reversal on third-party cookies, marketers need to prepare for data deprecation. Yet many aren’t. This week on What It Means, Senior Analyst Stephanie Liu and Principal Analyst Brett Kahnke discuss how B2C and B2B marketers can adapt their data strategies to maintain consumer trust and compliance.

Is creativity the hidden spark behind innovation? VP and Research Director Pascal Matzke and Principal Analyst Bernhard Schaffrik unpack why creativity is often undervalued and share strategies for leaders to foster it within their organizations.

Is alignment between B2B marketing and sales teams overrated? The concept may be in need of a rethink, say Principal Analysts John Arnold and Rick Bradberry. This week on What It Means, they describe what more productive marketing-sales relationships might look like.