Cisco: AI Infrastructure Non-Negotiable as APAC Demand Surges
Cisco has made an ambitious statement that in the age of AI, the creation of trusted and resilient infrastructure is not an option. As autonomous AI agents gain traction, the executives of Cisco have charted the future path of the company for what they call the 'agentic era of AI,' with AI carrying out activities completely autonomously, reshaping industries and enterprise expectations.
AI's Fast Pace and Infrastructure Needs
Addressing a recent media briefing, Jeetu Patel, president and chief product officer at Cisco, asserted that we are seeing one of the most dramatic technology transformations in history. Evolving from simple chatbots to fully self-sufficient AI agents, Patel noted the revolutionary effect AI will have on industries worldwide. He referred to organizations such as Ford, where AI is already deeply embedded in the business process from design to customer service. This, according to Patel, is because as AI advances, billions of independent agents will support human capability, creating an unprecedented level of operations.
To address these requirements, Cisco is calling for a total shift away from existing infrastructure. AI, being power-hungry, compute-hungry, and network-hungry, demands a new network vision for networking, storage, and security. Dave West, SVP and Asia Pacific president for Cisco, further stated that the sudden pace of AI adoption in Asia-Pacific has accelerated AI from a development phase to actual deployment, making the discussion shift from IT operations to boardroom priorities.
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Security Becomes the Key Enabler for AI Adoption
Making a profound turn, Cisco is also redefining its security role in protecting AI systems. Patel reiterated that security and safety are now essential before adopting AI, noting that AI will not work without trust. As enterprises more and more depend on AI and IoT in driving operational efficiencies, Cisco's Splunk acquisition is leading the charge in driving smarter, security-first telemetry solutions. By unifying security across the entire technology stack, Cisco seeks to empower companies to scale operations, minimize downtime, and unlock new efficiencies essential to AI deployment success.
