This week, I had the privilege of joining Global Relay’s first-ever Analyst & Consultancy Summit in New York. Hosted in their impressive Manhattan office, the event gathered a curated group of analysts, influencers, and consultants to discuss the future of secure and/or regulated communications, AI, and platform evolution.
Global Relay, a 25-year-old privately held company with deep roots in compliance, surveillance, private cloud and secure communications, is now at a fascinating inflection point. With 22 of the 25 big North American banks as customers, its own AI stack running on Nvidia hardware, and a platform used by financial, life sciences, and government organizations worldwide, it’s not just keeping records — it’s redefining the enterprise comms stack.
Here are three takeaways that stood out:
1. Structured Data is the Real AI Advantage
While most vendors race to integrate LLMs, Global Relay quietly built the infrastructure AI actually needs: decades of clean, structured, compliant data across 60+ communication channels — email, messaging apps, voice, video, and more. Their belief? AI should come to the data, not the other way around.
This mindset shows up everywhere: in their proprietary architecture (Kraken), real-time integrity checks, and “Chain-of-Thought” AI risk detection models. It’s not just about catching violations — it’s about enabling real-time intelligence across regulated enterprises.
2. The Platform Shift is On — Secure Comms as a Productivity Layer
The Global Relay App isn’t just a wrapper around compliant messaging. It’s evolving into a secure, AI-enabled business communications platform — integrating chat, voice, calendar, email, and CRM-style contact layers. Think of it as a Microsoft Teams alternative for zero-trust environments, built from the ground up with auditability and governance in mind.
This move positions Global Relay not just as a service provider — but as an infrastructure partner for CPaaS, AI agents, and productivity orchestration in highly sensitive industries.
3. Regulated Doesn’t Mean Isolated — Time to Connect the Ecosystem
From financial services to healthcare to government, Global Relay’s customer base is expanding. But so is its relevance to the broader CPaaS and AI ecosystem. What’s needed now isn’t just secure recordkeeping — it’s interoperability, orchestration, and storytelling.
That’s why it’s exciting to see their growing interest in strategic partnerships, global marketing, and joining communities like CPaaSAA. With APIs for conversation capture, voice, and event feeds — plus deep AI insights on top — they’re uniquely positioned to become the trusted data layer for enterprise AI and communications.
Conclusion:
This wasn’t your average vendor event. It was a strategic marker: the start of Global Relay’s shift from compliance stalwart to AI infrastructure pioneer. And with the right connections — to telcos, CPaaS providers, and AI ecosystem players — they could play a critical role in redefining the stack.
We hope to welcome them into the CPaaS Acceleration Alliance and see them take the stage at CASA25 in Amsterdam this September!
My lifetime in IT and telecoms has been dedicated to innovation, building bridges and creating change. From the early days of cloud communications to working with operators on innovations and business development, and currently emphasizing APIs, CPaaS/CX and AI, my journey has been one of continuous evolution.
As founding partner at CPaaS Acceleration Alliance and The Next Cloud I'm privileged to help global telcos and techcos thrive in a fast changing world - through events, community building, strategy and global business development. I thrive on challenges and change, strategizing in cloud communications, and bringing people together for mutual success. Travel and continuous learning are my passions.
I believe the global communications industry is pivoting to prioritize customer experience and impactful solutions over mere technology and platforms, and we can tackle societal challenges by merging the strengths of corporates and innovators within new ecosystems.
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