Cisco CEO: Why AI will be 'Bigger Than The Internet'

Chuck Robbins, CEO of Cisco, joined numerous business leaders at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos, where discussions around AI dominated the agenda.

Cisco positions itself as a global technology leader, developing software and infrastructure that underpins internet connectivity worldwide. The company has integrated AI across its operations, deploying services that harness the technology whilst simultaneously addressing the risks it presents.

For organisations that fail to prioritise AI development, the potential loss in market value could prove catastrophic, particularly within the technology sector.

Speaking to the BBC in Davos, Chuck asserted that AI will be "bigger than the internet" – while also cautioning that it could spell disaster for companies that fail to adapt.

This statement carries weight coming from a leader whose company was once the world's most valuable in 2000, only to witness an 80% plunge in value when tech stocks collapsed during the dot-com bubble burst in 2000.

After recovering from that decline, Cisco partnered with NVIDIA to deploy AI capabilities and scale its infrastructure accordingly.

AI-powered cybersecurity solutions

Cisco now places AI at its operational core, utilising the technology to safeguard its applications against AI-scale attacks and detect security vulnerabilities.

Cisco's workplace-focused protection technologies include Cisco AI Defense and Hypershield, both designed to counter emerging threats.

Chuck notes that AI will "make our cyber attacks better" and "make the scams that people see in their inboxes seem more real", highlighting the threat facing individuals globally.

As cybercriminals exploit AI advancements to target large-scale enterprises, the severity of potential damage could prove ruinous for organisations that lag behind in adoption.

While leading businesses deploy AI to counter the very risks the technology creates, companies without tech-focused leadership could face disproportionate exposure to cyberattacks.

Sportswear manufacturer Nike, is reported to have suffered a massive data breach involving 1.4 TB of its data– parts of it, which the ransomware group responsible claims to belong to Nike, was later published on their leak site. Elsewhere, its competitor Under Armour is investigating a similar breach by the Everest Ransomware group.

The first predominantly AI-driven cyber attack nearly succeeded when Chinese state-sponsored hackers exploited Anthropic's Claude AI agent, though Anthropic intercepted and halted the intrusion. This incident demonstrates how AI technology has become simultaneously the risk and remedy for cyberattacks.

When implemented correctly, the approaches taken by Cisco and Anthropic in training their AI systems could potentially evolve to prevent security breaches entirely.

Industry perspectives on AI growth

The AI bubble and its potential burst remains a prominent discussion point amongst technology leaders.

Speaking to Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock and Interim Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella told his Davos audience: "For this not to be a bubble, by definition it requires that the benefits of this are more easily spread.

"To me, a long term, scalable solution is to have all of these token factories part of the real economy connected to the grid, connected to the telco network – and that's what will drive that scale, whether it's in the Global South or in the developed world."

Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, suggested the AI boom will generate "six-figure salaries" for workers building data centres and factories adopting the technology.

"It's wonderful that the jobs are related to trade craft and we're going to have plumbers and electricians and construction and steel workers and network technicians," Jensen said in Davos.

According to a Microsoft 2025 report, blue-collar roles appear least likely to face automation, with these positions becoming increasingly appealing to Gen-Z workers.

Navigating AI adoption strategies

AI remains divisive amongst consumers, with certain technology companies choosing alternative paths, including gaming manufacturer Nintendo.

The brand rejects AI-generated content, maintaining its commitment to human-created work.

At a smaller scale, startups operating in specialised industries may continue relying on traditional software to circumvent the substantial costs and complexity associated with AI adoption.

For modern executives, the decision to embrace or reject AI could hinge on whether the technology affects their company's market value.

Many tech companies face significant risk without adoption, whereas established creative companies often receive recognition for maintaining traditional content creation methods.