Cisco Live 2024: Cisco Announces New AI-powered Innovations and Investments to Help Customers Unlock a More Connected and Secure Future

Rhea-AI Summary

Cisco Live 2024 introduces AI-powered innovations to enhance digital resilience by integrating advanced networking, security, and observability. Cisco also unveils a $1B Global AI Investment Fund to propel industry innovation. Keynote speakers include Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins and Tom Brady.

New solutions include Cisco Nexus HyperFabric AI clusters with NVIDIA, AI-native Digital Experience Assurance from ThousandEyes, and AI-enhanced security with Hypershield. Cisco's acquisition of Splunk enhances real-time insights and observability, while AI advancements in Webex improve hybrid work solutions.

Furthermore, Cisco launches AI training for partners and a new vendor-agnostic AI certification to foster an AI-ready workforce.

Positive

• Cisco announces $1B Global AI Investment Fund.
• Introduction of AI-powered networking, security, and observability solutions.
• Launch of Cisco Nexus HyperFabric AI clusters with NVIDIA.
• Enhanced Digital Experience Assurance from Cisco ThousandEyes.
• AI-backed security improvements with Hypershield.
• Acquisition of Splunk enhances real-time insights and observability.
• New AI capabilities in Webex Contact Center and Hybrid Work Innovations.
• AI partner specialization training and AI certification launched.

Negative

• Significant investment in AI may increase short-term expenses.
• Potential risks associated with the integration of new AI technologies.
• Dependence on successful implementation of AI to realize promised benefits.

Insights

Tech Expert

Cisco's announcement of new AI-powered innovations highlights a strong commitment to integrating AI into their existing network, security and observability solutions. The introduction of AI-driven features in Cisco's Nexus HyperFabric AI clusters and Networking Cloud signifies a strategic move towards enhancing digital resilience and operational efficiency.

AI integration in networking can lead to improved automation, reducing manual interventions and potential errors. For instance, AI-native Digital Experience Assurance innovations from Cisco ThousandEyes allow comprehensive monitoring across various networks, ensuring smooth digital experiences for users. This could attract more customers looking for reliable and advanced network solutions.

Furthermore, Cisco's significant investment in AI through a $1 billion global fund reaffirms their focus on long-term growth and innovation. By collaborating with AI entities like Cohere and Mistral AI, Cisco aims to stay ahead in the AI technology curve, ensuring continuous improvements and market competitiveness.

However, the success of these innovations depends on how swiftly and effectively they can be integrated and adopted by customers. The complexity and learning curve associated with new AI technologies may pose a challenge.

Financial Analyst

From a financial perspective, Cisco's $1 billion AI investment fund is a substantial commitment that underscores the company's strategic focus on AI-driven growth. This fund is positioned to drive innovation and customer readiness, potentially leading to an uptick in customer acquisition and retention as organizations seek robust and reliable AI solutions.

Investing in companies like Cohere and Scale AI aligns well with Cisco's core areas of network infrastructure and security, potentially leading to synergies that could boost Cisco's portfolio and market share. This move could also reassure investors about Cisco's dedication to staying at the forefront of technological advancements.

However, such large-scale investments come with inherent risks. The return on investment (ROI) might take time to materialize and the success of these ventures could be influenced by various market factors, including competition and technological advancements from other players in the industry.

In the short term, the announcement may positively impact market sentiment and stock performance due to the forward-looking nature of these investments. Long-term, the financial health of these initiatives will depend on execution and market adoption.

Market Research Analyst

The market implications of Cisco's latest announcements are significant. The overarching theme of AI-enhanced security and observability is timely, given the growing focus on cybersecurity and data management in an increasingly digital world. By launching AI-powered solutions, Cisco is positioning itself as a leader in addressing these critical concerns.

The inclusion of well-known customers like Marriott and AT&T in their showcase indicates strong customer trust and satisfaction, which can serve as powerful testimonials for potential clients. This could lead to enhanced brand reputation and market penetration.

Moreover, Cisco's focus on making AI technology accessible through training and certification programs demonstrates a commitment to workforce development. This not only aids in customer readiness but also helps establish Cisco as a thought leader and educator in the AI space.

While the innovations are promising, the actual market response will hinge on how well these solutions meet consumer needs and how easily businesses can integrate them into their existing systems. The training programs are a step in the right direction, yet the practical adoption and impact remain to be seen.

News summary:

• AI-powered innovations build customers' digital resilience by uniquely combining the power of the network with industry-leading security, observability, and data, simplifying adoption, and offering visibility and insight across the entire digital footprint.
• Cisco Investments has launched a $1 Billion Global AI Investment Fund to advance industry innovation and customer readiness, and support Cisco's strategy to connect and protect organizations in an AI-powered future.
• This year's show headlined by keynote speakers, including Cisco Chair and CEO Chuck Robbins; 7x Super Bowl Champion, Entrepreneur & Philanthropist Tom Brady; and from McLaren Racing, CEO Zak Brown and F1 Team Driver Oscar Piastri.

LAS VEGAS, June 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- CISCO LIVE -- Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) kicks off Cisco LIVE 2024 with new AI-powered innovations and investments that deliver a clear message: AI isn't just the latest turning point in technology. It's an efficient, intelligent source of digital resilience that can connect and protect entire organizations and power growth, scale, and an inclusive future for all.

At its premier networking and security event, Cisco is launching AI-enriched networking, security, and observability solutions across its entire portfolio. These are designed to give customers the visibility and insights they need to connect and protect their entire digital footprint and build digital resilience.

"We're thrilled to share incredible innovation and new AI-powered capabilities for our customers this week at Cisco Live," said Chuck Robbins, Chair and CEO of Cisco. "Cisco is uniquely positioned to revolutionize the way infrastructure and data connect and protect organizations of all sizes, and we are confident we are the right strategic partner for our customers in this era of AI."

Cisco Investments also announced a $1B global investment fund to expand and develop secure and reliable AI solutions. Cisco is making strategic investments in Cohere, Mistral AI and Scale AI that will advance several critical areas including customer readiness, compute infrastructure, foundational models, model development, and training.

Cisco's Product Innovations Tackle Customers' Core Challenges

Cisco customers are in the spotlight, showcasing the pivotal role Cisco plays as a crucial strategic ally in business and technology. Customers featured at Cisco Live include Steve Madden, Room & Board, Marriott, AT&T, Equinix, WWE, SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park and McLaren F1 Racing.

Making AI easier with AI & Networking

• Cisco Nexus HyperFabric AI clusters This breakthrough AI cluster solution with NVIDIA features a single place to design, deploy, monitor and assure AI pods and data center workloads. It guides users from design, to validated deployment, to monitoring and assurance for enterprise-ready AI infrastructure.
• Cisco Networking Cloud: New AI-native Digital Experience Assurance innovations from Cisco ThousandEyes unlock cross-domain assurance for Cisco Networking Cloud and beyond. Customers are now empowered to see and manage every enterprise, cloud, SaaS, and Internet network for exceptional digital experiences to every user, everywhere, every time.

Making AI safer with AI & Security

• In an increasingly complex and hyper-distributed world, Cisco tips the balance of power in favor of the defenders with new capabilities across the Cisco Security Cloud Customers gain an AI-fortified security posture backed by market-leading firewall infrastructure, new sources of telemetry, superior network visibility, and AI-native management architecture.
• A little over one month after the launch of Cisco Hypershield, Cisco is announcing Cisco Hypershield support for AMD Pensando DPUs and Intel IPUs. It enables enterprises to realize an AI-driven, distributed security architecture that seamlessly goes from the cloud to the data centers to the edge while still being highly performing and energy efficient.

Making AI work with AI & Observability

• Customers benefit from Cisco's recent landmark acquisition of Splunk with flawless, secure digital experiences powered by unparalleled visibility and real-time insights that help standardize the observability practice into solution – getting customers ahead of future demands and set up for new opportunities.
• At the event, Cisco will share that it has combined its new AI Assistant and the power of Splunk Log Observability with Cisco AppDynamics Application Performance Monitoring (APM) with the introduction of AppDynamics Log Observer Connect. This will enable users to unlock meaningful guidance and insights to make informed decisions faster and more accurately than ever.

Making AI work with the Future of Work

• AI-Powered Contact Center and Hybrid Work Innovations New capabilities in Webex Contact Center will help organizations design and manage conversational self-service experiences, provide an AI Assistant for contact center agents, and integrate third-party virtual agent solutions.
• Additionally, AI Assistant for Webex Suite will soon be generally available to customers. IT admins will benefit from remote device access management in Webex Control Hub, and all-new Desk Reservation with Cisco Spaces makes it easy to find and book desk spaces and Cisco Collaboration Devices.

Enabling AI Skills

• New AI Fundamentals for Partners: Cisco will announce the first stage of its AI partner specialization training that will equip partners with the knowledge needed to optimize infrastructure for AI workloads using Cisco technology. It will explore AI basics, including key concepts and terms, a taxonomy of AI solutions and an overview of Cisco's AI strategy, governance and use cases to master AI solution implementation in, on and through Cisco platforms.
• New Cisco Certification in AI: Organizations can build an AI-ready workforce with the announcement of Cisco's new certification in designing modern AI architecture. The vendor-agnostic certification will enable employers, employees and jobseekers to gain and validate the skills needed to design modern AI/ML compute and networks now and into the future.

About Cisco Live

Cisco LIVE 2024, the premier networking and security event that brings together the global Cisco community to showcase the latest innovations and inspire attendees to strive for a more inclusive future for all. Welcoming more than 20,000 attendees in-person, with nearly one million more tuning in from around the world via a live-streamed digital event, Cisco LIVE 2024 is set to be Cisco's most impactful conference to date.

To experience the live keynotes, learn more about Cisco Live news announcements and view additional digital content, visit The Newsroom.

Additional Resources:

• Flickr album with on-site photos uploaded daily from Cisco LIVE 2024.

About Cisco 

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide technology leader that securely connects everything to make anything possible. Our purpose is to power an inclusive future for all by helping our customers reimagine their applications, power hybrid work, secure their enterprise, transform their infrastructure, and meet their sustainability goals.

Discover more on The Newsroom and follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at @Cisco.

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found at http://www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word 'partner' does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.

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SOURCE Cisco Systems, Inc.

FAQ

What new AI-powered innovations did Cisco announce at Cisco Live 2024?

Cisco announced AI-enhanced networking, security, and observability solutions, including Cisco Nexus HyperFabric AI clusters and enhanced Digital Experience Assurance from ThousandEyes.

What is the purpose of Cisco's $1B Global AI Investment Fund?

The $1B Global AI Investment Fund aims to advance industry innovation, support customer readiness, and expand secure AI solutions.

How will Cisco's acquisition of Splunk benefit its customers?

The acquisition of Splunk will provide customers with enhanced real-time insights and observability, improving digital experiences and decision-making.

What advancements does Cisco offer in hybrid work solutions?

Cisco introduced new AI capabilities in Webex Contact Center, including an AI Assistant for agents and remote device access management in Webex Control Hub.

What new AI training and certification initiatives did Cisco launch?

Cisco launched AI partner specialization training and a vendor-agnostic AI certification to equip stakeholders with skills needed to design modern AI/ML compute and networks.