HP builds on its strengths and uses the workplace as the starting point and foundation for virtually everything it does. Among other things, this means it must offer added value when organizations purchase multiple types of devices from HP. In addition, it must provide seamless integration of products and solutions that help organizations optimize the workplace as a whole. Software is increasingly becoming a distinguishing feature for HP, which is still primarily known as a hardware manufacturer. The Workforce Experience Platform (WXP), in particular, has proven to be a hit. This is partly because it isn’t limited to HP devices alone.
To learn more about HP’s market position and how the workplace is increasingly becoming a space where multiple types of devices are interconnected, we spoke with Koen van Beneden, who leads HP in the Benelux region. He states: “HP wants to be the partner organizations can turn to in order to ensure employee productivity.” Read this article to find out how HP plans to achieve that.
We’re in an AI supercycle
On paper, the mission statement above looks fairly straightforward. You might think, “Just make good products, and productivity will take care of itself.” However, that’s a bit too simplistic. It’s not just about hardware; it’s increasingly about software as well. On top of that, we’re now seeing an AI supercycle that’s turning everything upside down. This has far-reaching consequences, even for a company like HP.
Especially now that AI has advanced further and more is possible outside the public cloud and neoclouds/GPU clouds, HP must develop products and solutions that align with where the market is headed. “AI on the edge is an important piece of the puzzle,” Van Beneden notes.
More and more can be done locally
AI may be steadily advancing, but it’s still not clear exactly which direction it’s all heading. Van Beneden therefore refers to a “combination of long-term planning and short-term discovery” when it comes to AI strategy.
As an example of short-term discovery, Van Beneden cites the surprising speed with which AI on the devices themselves has become so powerful so quickly. In general, he observes that AI workloads that initially required the cloud will be able to run locally within the foreseeable future. He expects that a large portion of all AI workloads will be able to run on the device itself in the future.
It should be clear that Van Beneden isn’t referring so much to the kind of AI that requires PCs to have an NPU. That specific chip for adding light AI workloads to PCs still exists, but more serious workloads generally don’t make use of it. HP’s recently announced HP IQ is a good example of this. It utilizes local, on-device AI on supported HP products.
Cloud costs don’t add up
There are several reasons to want to run AI locally. In addition to data privacy and sovereignty, costs certainly play an important role. “The economics of running everything in the cloud aren’t always sustainable in the long run,” Van Beneden notes. According to him, this is already evident in call centers, early adopters when it comes to AI agents. He points to a very sharp increase in costs in these environments when everything is run in the cloud. “There’s little benefit to running everything in the cloud,” he concludes.
HP IQ uses local, on-device AI to perform tasks directly on the device. It’s aimed at the typical knowledge worker, according to Van Beneden. He says there’s certainly interest in the market for HP IQ. However, “we still have everything to prove,” he adds honestly. HP IQ will become available in our region around this time.
HP distinguishes itself with WXP
Hardware alone doesn’t make for a complete workplace, not even if it’s very powerful equipment capable of running local AI. Software is just as important. We saw this above with HP IQ, which ensures better integration between different types of devices. Think of printers, but also Poly equipment in meeting rooms.
WXP certainly deserves a mention when it comes to distinctive software. WXP stands for Workforce Experience Platform and was introduced by HP in March 2024. Adoption is happening “incredibly fast,” Van Beneden notes. “That’s great for a product we weren’t even talking about three years ago,” he continues. HP correctly anticipated that this would become an important topic.
Since many of employees’ experiences are influenced in one way or another by technology and devices, HP, as a manufacturer of those devices, is, of course, excellently positioned to bring such a platform to market. HP can now aim to “offer a great device, but also sell WXP alongside it,” says Van Beneden.
Lifecycle management in 2026
At its core, WXP is a platform that enables organizations to monitor and improve the digital user experience and their IT environment. Lifecycle management is part of that. This means it provides insights into the lifecycle and lifespan of devices. These can be HP devices, but also non-HP devices. “Many people still have a very traditional view of this,” Van Beneden continues. According to him, they take too narrow a view of lifecycle management and don’t address issues such as user experience and performance. With WXP, HP offers the ability to proactively address performance issues. As a result, they can thereby improve the end-user experience.
All in all, Van Beneden sees HP as hitting a “a sweet spot” with WXP. That partly explains the platform’s rapid adoption. It will undoubtedly be made more attractive to use once customers opt for HP hardware. However, that’s only logical. Ultimately, it has to do something that customers find interesting and need; otherwise, adoption will lag behind. Based on what Van Beneden tells us, HP seems to have succeeded so far in making WXP truly offer added value.
WXP detected failed CrowdStrike update early
Van Beneden concludes by noting that WXP enables organizations to proactively identify and resolve many support tickets. This results in significant savings, including in service costs. Additionally, the lifespan of devices can be greatly extended by replacing, upgrading, or repairing parts in a timely manner. At the end of the day, (large) organizations are always sensitive to these factors.
To illustrate what WXP can mean for service management, Van Beneden explains how WXP was used to mitigate the impact of the CrowdStrike/Microsoft BSODs from two years ago. When PCs in Japan went live and immediately installed the latest update, the team could see in WXP that something was wrong. Therefore, it was able to respond relatively quickly to limit the impact on other systems and regions. This also enabled HP (which uses WXP itself) to respond swiftly to the disruption.
Once again, WXP is not unique in this regard. This type of service management can also be achieved with other tools. At HP, it’s about the combination of this aspect of WXP with the lifecycle management component. It also involves, for example, the security features that HP builds into its own hardware.
HP puts the workplace first
“We’re combining a number of technologies to enhance the user experience. If we do that right, we can set ourselves apart,” says Van Beneden, summarizing what HP is currently doing.
Ultimately, it’s about combining everything in such a way that employees, and knowledge workers in particular, can work optimally. According to HP, without slowing down hardware innovations, the company is further building on its hardware position with software and services. Software must ensure that integration across the entire workplace creates clear added value.
The software HP has released so far is not only intended to ensure that devices work well together within the workplace. Think, for example, of the integration of Poly meeting room devices or the easier connection of PCs to printers. The workplace as a whole must be elevated to a higher level with the help of software such as HP IQ and WXP. In general, this means, among other things, better management, proactive maintenance, and better protection against downtime.
If HP succeeds in delivering what it promises, we believe it will have a strong case to make to the market. The enthusiasm surrounding WXP indicates that organizations truly see added value in better integration of hardware and software for lifecycle and/or service management purposes. We’re curious to see if HP IQ will receive the same enthusiastic response.
Read also: HP IQ: just another AI assistant or real added value for the workplace of the future?