A big component of AI in communications is agentic agents talking to employees and customers, and bringing trust to the system is where Cisco should shine. It builds and runs its own infrastructure, which is secure by design. Cisco has relationships with governments all over the world, and between Webex and its on-premises solutions, it can meet any kind of digital sovereignty requirements.
As the world becomes increasingly AI driven and fractured because of macro issues, Cisco will be able to deliver solutions that work, are secure, and adhere to any kind of compliance requirements. Look for the company to lean into trust to reestablish the Webex business.
Continued focus on Purpose: From one billion lives to 40 communities
While the technology is complex, Cisco’s guiding North Star remains its commitment to its Purpose corporate social responsibility programs. Having surpassed its goal to positively impact one billion lives, Cisco is doubling down on its 40 Communities initiative. In 2026, expect significant investments in:
- AI for social good: Using agentic AI to optimize energy consumption in smart buildings and reduce carbon footprints.
- The digital divide: Continued expansion of the Cisco Networking Academy, which is being redesigned to focus on AI and cybersecurity skills for underserved regions.
- Resilient infrastructure: Rebuilding connectivity in disaster-prone areas with resilience-first networking that can withstand both physical and cyber shocks.
Evidence of this was seen in Davos, where Cisco reinforced its commitment to global reskilling, acting as a core partner in the Reskilling Revolution initiative. This initiative aims to equip 1 billion people with better education, skills, and economic opportunities by 2030, with a focus on addressing the rapid transformation of the labor market due to AI and the energy transition.
Over the years, questions have been raised as to whether there’s a place for Purpose with publicly traded companies—not only for Cisco but also for its peers—as it can be viewed as a large cost item. This is a topic I’ve discussed over and over with Francine Katsoudas, Cisco’s chief people, policy and purpose officer. She has been firm in her belief that Purpose can be good for the world and good for business, and she pointed to the Country Digital Acceleration and HBCU investments as evidence of that. The more connected and digital the world becomes, the more demand there is for modernized infrastructure to enable it. So, don’t expect Cisco to back off Purpose any time soon.
The bottom line
As we enter 2026, Cisco is no longer just the plumbing of the internet. It has successfully positioned itself as having the best mission-critical infrastructure for the AI era. By tightly integrating silicon, security, and software—and completely reinventing how it goes to market with partners—Cisco is betting that the future of AI isn’t just in the model but in the network that connects and secures it all.
