What does it truly take to secure the edge of the enterprise in a multi-cloud, AI-driven world? At IGEL Now & Next 2025 in Miami, I sat down with Marissa Schmidt, Senior Director Analyst at Gartner, to unpack the future of endpoint computing and cybersecurity from a perspective rooted in deep research, hands-on insight, and strategic clarity.

As hybrid work continues to scale and the cloud cements itself as the core of modern infrastructure, new demands are being placed on endpoint operating systems, access frameworks, and cloud security models. Marissa brings a clear-eyed view of what's working, what's changing, and what IT leaders need to start doing differently.

In this conversation, we explore how AI is reshaping both attack and defense strategies, why the OS layer has become a strategic asset, and what Gartner is seeing in terms of the biggest shifts in cloud networking and endpoint security in 2025. We also dig into the principles behind zero trust, the realities of managing dozens of overlapping security tools, and how businesses can begin building more resilient, adaptive architectures—starting today.

Marissa also shares insights from her keynote and the Women in Tech panel at IGEL Now & Next, including the importance of authentic leadership, being a continuous learner, and building a strategy that connects real-world data with future-ready infrastructure.

Whether you're navigating cloud transformation, rethinking your endpoint strategy, or trying to make sense of the security demands brought on by AI, this episode offers a sharp, actionable look at where things are heading—and how to stay in front of it.

Are your cloud and endpoint strategies built for what's next? Let me know your thoughts.