Cisco CEO: Those uncomfortable with change will find AI era difficult

Chuck Robbins, Chairman and CEO of Cisco, believes that employees who are uncomfortable with continuous change and a dynamic environment will struggle in the current era of rapid technological advancement, particularly with artificial intelligence (AI).

Speaking about the impact of AI on businesses, Robbins emphasized that companies should view AI primarily as a tool for enhancing innovation rather than solely for cost reduction. He suggested that AI can enable organizations to achieve more with their existing workforce, rather than focusing on downsizing.

Cisco itself is leveraging AI in areas such as coding and customer service. Robbins explained that while AI can accelerate code generation, the bottleneck shifts to verification and deployment. In customer service, personalized AI agents assist employees in preparing for client meetings more efficiently by rapidly compiling relevant business and solution information.

Robbins acknowledged concerns among CEOs regarding the speed of AI development. However, he stressed that for customers, the priority is safe and cost-effective AI deployment, irrespective of the development pace. Cisco aims to ensure customers can move forward quickly without compromising security.

The Cisco CEO also noted that businesses must keep pace with industry leaders. He observed that many CEOs are concerned about the rapid advancement of AI and the cybersecurity implications for their organizations.