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From the early days of the web to the rise of synthetic intelligence, Cisco has helped construct the digital spine of the trendy world. We’ve expanded entry, secured international networks, and supported the infrastructure that powers every part from on-line studying to international commerce. For instance, Cisco’s Networking Academy has educated over 2.6 million learners within the US for the reason that program’s inception, empowering them with crucial digital literacy and know-how expertise.
We’ve achieved that for hundreds of thousands worldwide. In France, as an example, we’re working with native companions to make use of AI and sensor know-how that helps dairy farmers stop warmth stress in cows, boosting manufacturing for over 50 farms and rising revenues by as much as 20%. Meanwhile, within the City of El Paso, we associate with the town to ship Webex and Cisco networking options to make sure susceptible and at-risk residents can seamlessly connect with important companies.
Now, as AI redefines what’s attainable—from breakthroughs in healthcare to smarter cities—we’re as soon as once more on the heart of this transformation. That’s why we’re proud to sponsor this week’s ITU AI for Good Summit, the UN’s main platform for utilizing AI to deal with international challenges, and to launch a brand new white paper: Connecting the Future: How Connectivity and AI Unlock New Potential, co-developed with the ITU, Atlantic Council, and Access Partnership.
The Two-Way Relationship Between AI and Connectivity
What is the connection between AI and connectivity? First and foremost, AI can not succeed with out sturdy digital infrastructure. AI additionally has the facility to dramatically enhance that infrastructure in return.
AI fashions—particularly generative instruments—require extra bandwidth, ultra-low latency, and extremely resilient works. Meeting these calls for requires an funding in each layer of connectivity throughout the primary, center, and final miles and a brand new period of public-private collaboration.
Yet AI isn’t only a person of networks; it’s additionally reworking them. AI is already serving to networks self-optimize, predict outages, cut back power consumption, and reply to threats in actual time—making infrastructure sooner, safer, and extra environment friendly. This is particularly crucial in areas the place networks should scale shortly.
At Cisco, we’re constructing the applied sciences that make this attainable. Take for instance ThousandEyes which leverages AI to allow sooner and extra dependable connections, or our Cisco Nexus switches and AI-native infrastructure options which automate community efficiency and optimize knowledge heart efficiency.
Addressing the Readiness Gap
According to Cisco’s AI Readiness Index, 98% of world enterprise leaders say AI adoption is extra pressing than ever, but solely 13% really feel absolutely ready. More than half of those companies have expressed that their infrastructure lacks the scalability to help AI, and 78% doubt they’ve the computing assets wanted to maintain up.
This isn’t shocking—with 3.7 billion individuals nonetheless missing dependable web entry, the digital divide threatens to turn into an AI divide.
As a part of our broader Partner2Connect pledge to deal with this hole, Cisco launched a $1 billion international AI funding fund to speed up the event of safe, reliable applied sciences and infrastructure and we’re already seeing its affect.
- In Saudi Arabia, we’ve partnered with HUMAIN AI to help nationwide infrastructure, launch a Cisco AI Institute at KAUST, operationalize safe knowledge facilities, and upskill 500,000 learners in AI, cybersecurity, and programming.
- In France, we’re creating a Global AI Hub targeted on energy-efficient infrastructure, startup innovation, and workforce growth. We’ve additionally expanded our collaboration with Mistral AI and dedicated to establishing a middle of excellence for knowledge heart innovation and prepare 230,000 individuals in AI and digital expertise over the following three years.
Infrastructure Needs People
Infrastructure alone isn’t sufficient. AI’s full potential relies on individuals having the talents to construct, deploy, and use it responsibly. Yet hundreds of thousands nonetheless lack the digital and AI expertise wanted to take part within the financial system of tomorrow.
Through the Cisco Networking Academy, which has educated greater than 20 million learners globally, and initiatives like Partner2Connect and the ITU Digital Transformation Centers, we’re serving to to shut that hole—equipping each technical and non-technical expertise with the talents to construct, handle, and apply AI responsibly and efficiently.
Governments, firms, and international establishments should now work collectively to combine AI literacy into nationwide curricula, broaden entry to digital public infrastructure, and make upskilling a central pillar of financial growth.
A Shared Responsibility
AI and connectivity should not separate agendas—they’re a part of the identical transformation. One can not advance with out the opposite. And neither will succeed with out daring coverage, good funding, and public-private partnerships.
At Cisco, we’re prepared to steer. We’re constructing safe, AI-ready networks. We’re supporting innovators and governments, and we’re targeted on ensuring this subsequent chapter of technological progress contains everybody. The future is linked, clever, and inside attain.
This is who we’re—One Cisco, one neighborhood, one world, and that is how we energy an inclusive future for all.
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