What It Means: A Forrester Podcast

On July 19, an update from security software vendor CrowdStrike took down 8.5 million Windows endpoints and caused widespread chaos. In this episode, VP and Research Director Amy DeMartine and Principal Analyst Allie Mellen discuss the lessons learned from the outage and what steps security and business leaders should take as a result.

The rapid growth of AI will have both positive and negative impacts on the environment. In this episode, Vice President and Principal Analyst Thomas Husson delves into both AI’s environmental downsides and its potential to help solve the climate crisis.

AI has the potential to make the work of human resources more streamlined — and more complicated. How is that possible? Find out as Principal Analyst Betsy Summers explains the AI-HR paradox and sheds some light on the benefits and risks that AI poses to the HR function.

Reports of the demise of the CMO role have been greatly exaggerated, say VP and Principal Analyst Ian Bruce and VP and Research Director Mike Proulx. On this week’s What It Means episode, they dive into new research that paints a highly nuanced picture of the prevalence and tenure of CMOs.

What are the most compelling AI use cases in the public sector, and what are some of the challenges? Find out as Principal Analyst Sam Higgins shares insights on the current state and future outlook for AI in the public sector globally.

Are passwords obsolete or still a necessary evil? In this episode, Vice President and Principal Analyst Andras Cser and Principal Analyst Geoff Cairns describe where we are on the path to passwordless authentication for both enterprise and consumer users.

In this engaging discussion, Paul Miller, Vice President and Principal Analyst specializing in digital technology, teams up with Senior Analyst Stephanie Liu to unravel the distinctions between digital doubles and digital twins. They dive into how these concepts serve unique purposes in various industries, with digital twins offering accurate representations for sectors like healthcare and finance. The duo also explores consumer autonomy over online identities with digital doubles, balancing privacy and personalized marketing in today's tech landscape.

Christina McAllister, a Senior Analyst specializing in generative AI for contact centers, delves into the future of customer service. She shares insights on how generative AI can revolutionize agent performance and customer interactions by moving from scripted responses to real-time assistance. The conversation unfolds the potential for enhanced emotional connections between agents and customers, while addressing challenges like safety and efficiency. Christina also explains the importance of gradual tech transitions and the role of soft skills in this AI-driven landscape.

Arielle Trzcinski, a principal analyst focusing on healthcare services, and Judy Weader, an expert in healthcare policy, tackle the critical issue of medical deserts—areas devoid of essential healthcare throughout the U.S. They explore the challenges these regions face, including hospital closures and clinician burnout. The duo discusses innovative solutions ranging from technology's role in improving access to collaborative efforts among stakeholders. They also touch on the impact of private equity on healthcare and emphasize the urgent need for systemic change.

Business and tech leaders expect (slightly) bigger budgets next 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.