Technology

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) has kicked off Cisco Live 2024 by unveiling groundbreaking AI-powered innovations and announcing a $1 billion Global AI Investment Fund. These initiatives aim to enhance digital resilience, combining the power of networking with top-tier security, observability, and data insights to create a more connected and secure future.

AI-Powered Innovations

At this year’s premier networking and security event, Cisco introduced AI-enhanced networking, security, and observability solutions across its portfolio. These innovations provide customers with the visibility and insights needed to safeguard their entire digital footprint.

“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."

$1 Billion Global AI Investment Fund

Cisco Investments announced a $1 billion global fund to advance secure and reliable AI solutions. The fund will support investments in companies like Cohere, Mistral AI, and Sale AI, focusing on customer readiness, compute infrastructure, foundational models, and model development.

Product Innovations Address Core Challenges

Cisco customers such as Steve Madden, Room & Board, Marriott, AT&T, Equinix, WWE, SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park, and McLaren F1 Racing showcased the pivotal role Cisco plays as a crucial strategic partner.

AI and Networking

• Cisco Nexus HyperFabric AI Clusters: Featuring a collaboration with NVIDIA, this AI cluster solution offers a streamlined process for designing, deploying, monitoring, and assuring AI pods and data center workloads.
• Cisco Networking Cloud: New AI-native Digital Experience Assurance innovations from Cisco ThousandEyes enable cross-domain assurance, allowing customers to manage networks seamlessly.

AI and Security

• Cisco Security Cloud: Enhanced with AI capabilities, customers gain a fortified security posture backed by market-leading firewall infrastructure and superior network visibility.
• Cisco Hypershield: Now supporting AMD Pensando DPUs and Intel IPUs, this solution provides an AI-driven, distributed security architecture from cloud to edge.

AI and Observability

• Splunk Integration: Combining Splunk’s platform with Cisco AppDynamics, Cisco introduced Splunk Log Observer for AppDynamics to enhance troubleshooting across on-prem and hybrid environments.
• AI Assistant for Cisco AppDynamics: This tool empowers users to make faster, more informed decisions with real-time insights.

Future of Work

• Webex Contact Center: New AI capabilities enable better conversational self-service experiences and an AI Assistant for agents.
• Webex Suite AI Assistant: Soon available to customers, it includes features like remote device access management and desk reservation through Cisco Spaces.

AI Skills Development

• AI Fundamentals for Partners: This training equips partners with knowledge to optimize infrastructure for AI workloads using Cisco technology.
• Cisco Certification in AI: A new certification to build an AI-ready workforce, focusing on designing modern AI/ML compute and networks.

Keynote Speakers

This year’s Cisco Live features keynote addresses from 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.

With these strategic initiatives and innovations, Cisco aims to connect and protect organizations in an AI-powered future, driving growth, scale, and inclusivity.

• Tags
• #Business
• #Magazine
• #Lifestyle