Why future-proofing the workplace for AI starts at the network

The demands on enterprise infrastructure are rapidly changing. Networks today were built with different requirements in mind, certainly not anticipating the wave of AI adoption we’re currently seeing, with AI agents contributing to explosive network traffic and strict requirements for low latency. In the near future, these agents will run at the edge and even on personal devices, meaning the stress on the network will be felt acutely in campus networks. The increase in traffic will in turn lead to intensifying security threats. So as companies quickly rebuild their IT foundations for the AI era, they need to start where it matters most: the network. 

Any business that survived the digital revolution is very familiar with how quickly networking requirements can shift. But even with the crash course most got as the internet, mobile computing, and the cloud emerged, few are prepared for the speed with which emerging technologies today are challenging existing environments. 

That’s because AI applications require high-performance throughput and low latency. Today’s networks can’t support these data-heavy workloads at the speed businesses need: across wired and wireless networks in offices, on factory floors, and other workplaces. In fact, 71% of organizations believe their current IT environments are not equipped for AI and machine learning workloads, according to an  S&P Global survey. Now, under pressure from customers, investors, and employees to stay at tech’s cutting edge, businesses are moving with an unprecedented sense of urgency to update their IT landscapes. 

From switches and routers to the software delivering a secure network, the agentic AI stack is emerging in real time around three fundamental principles: hardware designed for high-throughput AI workloads; security embedded into everything; and AI to simplify complex IT operations for internal teams. Without more capable infrastructure, businesses will struggle with speed, security, and performance. It’s why a whopping 97% of companies said a modern network was critical to AI, cloud, and IoT adoption, per a Cisco survey. 

And as the use of AI agents grows, businesses can no longer expect to rely solely on their human talent. Increasingly, AI-powered capabilities like autonomous diagnosis and resolution across domains are table stakes. This pivot beyond AIOps to the emerging practice of AgenticOps will unlock greater speed and precision across networking, security, and application domains. 

“In a world where adoption of generative AI is mainstream, human interaction becomes even more critical,” Cisco Senior Vice President Anurag Dhingra wrote in a recent blog. “AI not only reinforces the importance of collaboration, it also puts huge demands on networks. Taken together, this requires a fundamental rethinking of infrastructure to build a future-proofed workplace.”

As an integral part of many of the IT transformations that have taken place over the past 40 years, Cisco knows better than most vendors the challenges enterprises face in keeping up with emerging technology. And as organizations rush to upgrade their infrastructure, Cisco, which already powers 95% of Fortune 500 networks and serving every major industry, has rolled out an entirely new secure network architecture that is purpose-built to meet the urgent needs of businesses today: 

• It starts with operational simplicity. Cisco unveiled AgenticOps as a new way to use AI to run IT. By turning real-time data into proactive automated actions, it helps IT teams manage networks faster and more accurately. Instead of just sending alerts, Cisco's AgenticOps capabilities also suggests and carries out solutions — always with a human in the loop — across different domains like networking, security, and collaboration.
• Cisco also introduced reimagined network devices, built with AI and ready for AI. Spanning every domain, the company’s new generation of purpose-built network devices includes new smart switches; an extended Wi-Fi 7 portfolio; the faster, more secure Cisco 8000 Series Secure Routers; and an expanded networking portfolio for industrial applications. 
• And importantly, security is fused directly into the network. Cisco’s “secure by design” approach starts with the system itself and is infused through every network layer. Its multi-layered security architecture secures the device, secures network connectivity, and secures clients and applications. 

By now, it’s a familiar pattern for enterprises: New technology emerges, requiring more powerful, resilient, and secure infrastructure. But unlike past overhauls that pushed IT teams to the brink, AI can also dramatically simplify the management of these increasingly complex networks. 

The speed with which Cisco and others are rolling out new hardware and implanting the technology within their ecosystems is evidence of AI’s early impact in the enterprise. And the demand from businesses indicates that turning AI hype into sustainable, long-term value starts at the infrastructure layer.