Cisco Study: CEOs Embrace AI, But Knowledge Gaps Threaten Strategic Decisions and Growth
Cisco's new study reveals a significant AI adoption paradox among CEOs. While 97% plan to integrate AI and 80% recognize its potential benefits, only 1.7% feel fully prepared for implementation. 74% of CEOs fear knowledge gaps will impact boardroom decisions, and 58% worry it will stifle growth.
The research shows over 70% of CEOs are concerned about losing competitive advantage due to IT and infrastructure gaps, with 53% already experiencing losses from underinvestment in technology. CEOs are primarily pursuing AI to drive efficiency (69%), spur innovation (68%), and outpace competitors (54%).
To address these challenges, 96% of CEOs are partnering with trusted providers to future-proof their networks. The study, conducted by Opinion Matters, surveyed 2,503 CEOs from companies with 250+ employees worldwide.
Il nuovo studio di Cisco rivela un significativo paradosso nell'adozione dell'IA tra i CEO. Sebbene il 97% preveda di integrare l'IA e l'80% riconosca i suoi potenziali benefici, solo l'1,7% si sente completamente pronto per l'implementazione. Il 74% dei CEO teme che le lacune di conoscenza impattino sulle decisioni della sala di consiglio, e il 58% è preoccupato che ciò possa soffocare la crescita.
La ricerca mostra che oltre il 70% dei CEO è preoccupato di perdere vantaggi competitivi a causa di lacune IT e infrastrutturali, con il 53% che già sperimenta perdite a causa di investimenti insufficienti nella tecnologia. I CEO perseguono principalmente l'IA per aumentare l'efficienza (il 69%), stimolare l'innovazione (il 68%) e superare i concorrenti (il 54%).
Per affrontare queste sfide, il 96% dei CEO sta collaborando con fornitori fidati per rendere a prova di futuro le loro reti. Lo studio, condotto da Opinion Matters, ha intervistato 2.503 CEO di aziende con più di 250 dipendenti in tutto il mondo.
El nuevo estudio de Cisco revela una importante paradoja en la adopción de IA entre los CEOs. Mientras que el 97% planea integrar IA y el 80% reconoce sus beneficios potenciales, solo el 1.7% se siente completamente preparado para la implementación. El 74% de los CEOs teme que las brechas de conocimiento afecten las decisiones en la sala de juntas, y el 58% está preocupado de que esto limite el crecimiento.
La investigación muestra que más del 70% de los CEOs están preocupados por perder ventaja competitiva debido a brechas en IT e infraestructura, siendo que el 53% ya experimenta pérdidas por la falta de inversión en tecnología. Los CEOs buscan principalmente la IA para impulsar la eficiencia (el 69%), fomentar la innovación (el 68%) y aventajar a los competidores (el 54%).
Para abordar estos desafíos, el 96% de los CEOs están asociándose con proveedores de confianza para asegurar el futuro de sus redes. El estudio, realizado por Opinion Matters, encuestó a 2,503 CEOs de empresas con más de 250 empleados en todo el mundo.
시스코의 새로운 연구는 CEO들 사이에서 인공지능(AI) 채택의 큰 역설을 밝혀냅니다. 97%의 CEO가 AI 통합을 계획하고 있으며, 80%는 AI의 잠재적 이점을 인식하고 있지만, 오직 1.7%만이 완전히 준비가 되었다고 느낍니다. 74%의 CEO는 지식 격차가 이사회 결정에 영향을 미칠 것을 걱정하고 있으며, 58%는 그것이 성장을 저해할까 우려하고 있습니다.
연구에 따르면, 70% 이상의 CEO가 IT 및 인프라 격차로 인해 경쟁 우위를 잃을까 걱정하고 있으며, 53%는 이미 기술에 대한 투자 부족으로 손실을 경험하고 있습니다. CEO들은 주로 AI를 통해 효율성을 높이기 위해(69%), 혁신을 촉진하기 위해(68%), 경쟁자를 앞서기 위해(54%) 추구하고 있습니다.
이러한 과제를 해결하기 위해 96%의 CEO는 신뢰할 수 있는 공급자와 협력하여 그들의 네트워크를 미래에 대비하도록 하고 있습니다. 이번 연구는 Opinion Matters에 의해 수행되었으며, 전 세계 250명 이상의 직원을 둔 기업의 2,503명의 CEO를 설문조사했습니다.
La nouvelle étude de Cisco révèle un paradoxe significatif dans l'adoption de l'IA parmi les PDG. Bien que 97% prévoient d'intégrer l'IA et 80% reconnaissent ses avantages potentiels, seulement 1,7% se sentent complètement préparés pour sa mise en œuvre. 74% des PDG craignent que les lacunes de connaissances n'affectent les décisions du conseil d'administration, et 58% s'inquiètent que cela puisse freiner la croissance.
La recherche montre que plus de 70% des PDG sont préoccupés par la perte de leur avantage concurrentiel en raison de lacunes en matière de TI et d'infrastructure, 53% ayant déjà connu des pertes dues à un manque d'investissement dans la technologie. Les PDG poursuivent principalement l'IA pour améliorer l'efficacité (69%), stimuler l'innovation (68%) et devancer leurs concurrents (54%).
Pour faire face à ces défis, 96% des PDG collaborent avec des fournisseurs de confiance pour préparer leurs réseaux à l'avenir. L'étude, réalisée par Opinion Matters, a sondé 2 503 PDG d'entreprises de plus de 250 employés dans le monde entier.
Die neue Studie von Cisco zeigt ein erhebliches Paradox der KI-Akzeptanz unter CEOs. Während 97% planen, KI zu integrieren und 80% deren potenzielle Vorteile erkennen, fühlen sich nur 1,7% vollständig auf die Umsetzung vorbereitet. 74% der CEOs befürchten, dass Wissenslücken die Entscheidungen im Vorstand beeinträchtigen werden, und 58% machen sich Sorgen, dass dies das Wachstum hemmt.
Die Forschung zeigt, dass über 70% der CEOs besorgt sind, ihre Wettbewerbsfähigkeit aufgrund von IT- und Infrastrukturdefiziten zu verlieren, wobei 53% bereits Verluste aufgrund von Unterinvestitionen in Technologie erfahren. Die CEOs verfolgen KI hauptsächlich, um Effizienz zu steigern (69%), Innovation voranzutreiben (68%) und die Konkurrenz zu übertreffen (54%).
Um diese Herausforderungen anzugehen, arbeiten 96% der CEOs mit vertrauenswürdigen Anbietern zusammen, um ihre Netzwerke zukunftssicher zu machen. Die Studie, die von Opinion Matters durchgeführt wurde, befragte 2.503 CEOs von Unternehmen mit mehr als 250 Mitarbeitern weltweit.
- 97% of CEOs plan to integrate AI into operations
- 96% of CEOs are securing partnerships for network future-proofing
- 80% of CEOs recognize AI's potential benefits
- 79% acknowledge CTO/CIO importance in guiding business decisions
- Only 1.7% of CEOs feel fully prepared for AI implementation
- 74% fear knowledge gaps will impact boardroom decisions
- 53% already experiencing competitive losses from tech underinvestment
- 70% concerned about losing ground due to IT infrastructure gaps
Insights
This comprehensive study from Cisco reveals critical insights about enterprise AI adoption that have significant implications for both Cisco's market position and the broader technology sector. The stark contrast between ambitious AI adoption plans (97%) and actual readiness levels (1.7%) signals a massive market opportunity for networking and security solutions providers.
The research highlights three key business implications:
- Market Expansion Opportunity: With 96% of CEOs seeking trusted partners for AI implementation, Cisco is well-positioned to capitalize on this demand through its networking and security solutions.
- Infrastructure Investment Surge: The reported 53% of CEOs concerned about competitive disadvantages due to underinvestment suggests an imminent wave of enterprise technology spending, particularly in AI-ready infrastructure.
- Service Integration Growth: The significant knowledge and skills gaps identified indicate strong potential for Cisco's professional services and training offerings.
The study's timing and scale (2,503 CEOs surveyed) provides credible validation of enterprise AI adoption trends and positions Cisco strategically as a thought leader in this space. The announced upcoming product developments addressing AI data centers and security concerns demonstrate Cisco's proactive approach to capturing this market opportunity.
The research exposes a critical infrastructure challenge facing enterprise AI adoption that extends beyond simple network upgrades. The technical implications are substantial:
- Network Architecture Evolution: Traditional enterprise networks weren't designed for AI workloads, requiring fundamental redesigns to handle increased data throughput and processing requirements.
- Security Framework Transformation: The integration of AI systems necessitates new security architectures that can protect both AI models and their training data while ensuring compliance with emerging AI regulations.
- Infrastructure Scalability: The reported concerns about competitive disadvantages suggest many existing networks lack the scalability and flexibility required for enterprise-wide AI deployment.
Cisco's announcement of new solutions for AI data centers and enhanced security capabilities directly addresses these technical challenges. The emphasis on future-proofing networks indicates a shift toward more adaptable, AI-ready infrastructure architectures that can support both current and emerging AI applications.
News summary:
- While 4 out of 5 CEOs recognize AI's potential, many worry gaps in their understanding will impact strategic decisions, risking missed opportunities and falling behind competitors.
- Over
70% fear losing ground due to gaps in IT knowledge or network infrastructure, with more than half already seeing competitive losses from underinvestment in technology. - CEOs plan to stay ahead by investing in their people, modernizing infrastructure, and strengthening cybersecurity, with
96% relying on trusted partners to future-proof their network for AI.
Cisco's Chief Product Officer, Jeetu Patel, underscores the urgency to act: "In a dynamic landscape where competition is fierce, speed decides the winners. Leaders who act decisively today to build resilient, future-proofed networks will be the AI-forward leaders driving real value for their business. Eventually there will be only two kinds of companies: those that are AI companies, and those that are irrelevant."
CEOs fear the mounting costs of inaction
Cisco's research shows more than
The bold act while others fall behind
For the leaders who confront their fears, the rewards will transcend simply "keeping up." CEOs are turning to AI for its transformative potential: driving efficiency (
While CEOs focus on the bigger picture, their CIOs and CTOs are often grappling with operational hurdles including the lack of compelling business use cases – a challenge CEOs rank lower (Figure 1). This tension perhaps reflects AI's exploratory phase, where the
Oliver Tuszik, President of Cisco EMEA, highlights the opportunity: "Whole businesses will be revolutionized if they can unlock AI's potential to innovate faster, simplify their operations, and withstand digital disruptions. But no one can do it alone. That's why
The CEO's Blueprint: People, infrastructure, and cybersecurity
Cisco's research reveals CEOs' plan to turn fear into progress – investing in knowledge and skills, upgrading infrastructure, and enhancing security to prepare for the demands of AI (Figure 2).
Delivering on this blueprint will require decisive technology leadership both within the organisation and through trusted partnerships. CEOs are increasingly looking to their CTOs and CIOs, with nearly
CEOs know they can't deliver on their blueprint without expert support:
Cisco continues to help organizations overcome complexity and create opportunity in the AI era
Skills shortages, implementation challenges, AI-ready infrastructure, and cybersecurity are top concerns for IT teams and leaders across industries. Cisco's upcoming announcements aim to address these challenges: closing gaps between security and networking for AI data centres, empowering Service Providers with new revenue-generating tools, and equipping the next generation of AI-forward professionals with enhanced certifications.
Download highlights from Cisco's CEO research here
The CEO study, conducted by Opinion Matters (24 Dec 2024–2 Jan 2025), surveyed 2,503 CEOs from companies with 250+ employees worldwide. A companion study with 8,065 senior networking leaders will follow in the coming months, exploring the strategic and operational needs of AI-era networking and security.
Additional resources:
- Cisco's 2025 AI Briefing: CEO Edition – essential insight on CEO fears, ambitions, and action on AI and secure networks
- Press release: Cisco Unveils AI Defense to Secure the AI Transformation of Enterprises
- Blog: Protecting AI so AI can improve the world, safely
About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide technology leader that is revolutionizing the way organizations connect and protect in the AI era. For more than 40 years, Cisco has securely connected the world. With its industry leading AI-powered solutions and services, Cisco enables its customers, partners and communities to unlock innovation, enhance productivity and strengthen digital resilience. With purpose at its core, Cisco remains committed to creating a more connected and inclusive future for all. Discover more on The Newsroom.
Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the
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SOURCE Cisco Systems, Inc.
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