At the recent HPE Tech Jam 2026 in Vienna, our Danoffice IT-delegation took part in the conversation – and here, AI was in the spot. No surprise. But the conversation now starts to take an important turn, says our expert. He points towards the way we approach hyper-complex IT while searching for the ultimate convenience, as an increasing paradox. At the same time, it is clear that HPE aims to offer new technology as an answer to this challenge.

Intelligence In Network

Intelligence. A frequently used word in the IT-industry for many years. Through decades – and, as such, also at the HPE’s Tech Jam 2026. The intelligent network stole a lot of headlines as a natural consequence of HPE’s acquisition of the network-giant, Juniper in 2025. Niels Vejrup Pedersen, Technology Lead in Danoffice IT and Worldwide Ambassador for HPE was on site and shares his points. “Intelligence in networks gained a lot of attention. The mere fact, that we have moved from being able to act reactively to proactively is a significant effort. We can register tings and create instant actions”, he says and continues: “What AI adds to Aruba’s networks is real-time insights. We can see everything today”.


So, maybe we hit a nerve here? When everything now is so easy – what do we need specialized knowledge for? Does HPE and Juniper’s path towards the ultimate convenience mean the end of the specialist? Do we (still) need a sanity check?

Sovereign AI – a new movement?

Sovereignty became the new black in 2025 due to international geopolitics. We no longer just wish to know where our data are – we want to take them home! As a natural consequence, sovereign data affects our possibilities with AI. Sovereign AI was already a hot topic at HPE Discover in 2025, and according to Niels the movement is becoming distinct now. “We set up guard rails around our use of technology. We are no longer blinded by fascination – we want to control EVERYTHING in our use of AI. This is not just common sense, it is also fundamental for critical security in our operations”, he says. Niels also shares that we in Danoffice IT too have taken important steps. “We have invested massively in our own private cloud. Thus, we now have a private, sovereign AI. We do this to protect ourselves and our clients’ data”.

Two IT specialists talking inside the Danoffice IT office.

Interaction Between Humans and Technology

As a global HPE Ambassador, Niels and his peers take part in the continuous dialogue on the development of HPE’s solutions, products and even roadmaps, too. And, contrary to the more publicly addressed talk on AI and technology, Niels takes part in strengthening the message that the interaction between humans and technology is as important as ever. “Everyone wants everything to be easy”, he states. “But in order for things to be easy, you need to master an incredibly high complexity. It has never been as advanced as today – but, at the same time it has never been as easy as it is today. It is in this schism we must seek the role and position of

the highly skilled IT-specialist. HPE does very much push this agenda. They are in not opting for the machines to do everything on their own”.

How to move forward?

If we go back to the wish for intelligent networks, we then face this very challenge. “If you have no insights in how complex your reality is, then how do you move forward? Limited knowledge makes limited results. You simply cannot create everything with AI, and to put it harshly, then agentic AI is the next evolvement in the automation-wave”, says Niels. “HPE is on the verge of shaking the global market for hybrid infrastructure when they fully unfold the portfolio with Juniper’s products onboard. In total, we are talking about solutions of unfathomable complexity, which creates an everyday for the users so convenient that IT becomes invisible. HPE offers and end-to-end platform which facilitates the meeting between complexity and simplicity – and makes it possible”.


Niels points out that the human role cannot be overstated. “Here it becomes important that you, on every level of your organization, understand that we are not being replaced – we are being assisted. The skilled IT-admin will be able to prove his worth like never before. The same goes for the financial assistant and the translator. We still need a sanity check. So, despite dystopic predictions on knowledge and insight, we are now moving towards an era where the specialists are super stars. The same goes for the good IT-projects – the well-executed and perfectly configured solutions of the future”, concludes Niels Vejrup Pedersen, Technology Lead in Danoffice IT.

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Smiling woman working at a computer in the Danoffice IT office.