Cisco doubles down on AI with new, updated certifications

Cisco this week furthered its commitment to help customers support and develop artificial intelligence systems by rolling out new certification and training courses aimed at teaching professionals everything from how to incorporate AI into specific roles to advanced networking design.

“We believe an AI-powered workforce is critical because AI has tremendous—potential but can deepen the digital divide if we don’t act intentionally, making sure that no populations get left behind,” wrote Par Merat, Vice President of Cisco Learning and Certifications, in a company blog announcing the news. “We’re moving full speed ahead to help IT professionals prepare and upskill for this latest technology transformation and the use of AI with our purpose at the forefront: to power an inclusive future for all.”

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Cisco explained how its AI training roadmap will enable skills-based AI readiness in three ways:

• Introduction to Modern AI is available at NetAcad.com, and it is designed to teach technology pros how to learn to use AI in their daily lives, craft effective prompt chatbots, and use computer vision and machine translation.
• For AI skills in professional roles, Cisco created a new learning path available on Cisco U that will help engineers and architects learn all the skills needed to implement AI solutions on Cisco infrastructure.
• Cisco is updating its existing learning materials in the data center and security certification tracks to incorporate the AI-related information that IT professionals need at different levels of expertise.

Cisco also shared its AI Infrastructure learning path that the company says covers the entire AI learning continuum, from entry-level to expert. Professionals completing this program will gain the AI infrastructure skills they need to advance their careers and benefit the organizations they support.

Cisco announced its AI Solutions on Cisco Infrastructure Essentials (DCAIE) last fall, and the first part of the AI Solutions on Cisco Infrastructure Learning Path called Essentials will run from February 7 through March 24. Cisco plans to have more advanced material available before Cisco Live U.S. in June.

“Essentials is everything you need to get started in building AI infrastructure. It begins with three courses on AI basics and a series on AI infrastructure requirements,” Merat explained in the blog. “It then covers AI network architectures, AI data considerations (including privacy and sovereignty), compliance (sustainability and power management), and hardware resources.”

Essentials is geared toward data center network engineers, data center system engineers, IT infrastructure architects, and IT operations engineers. The training focuses on professionals working on a multi-vendor approach to building AI infrastructure. In addition to adding AI infrastructure skills to its data center certification track from CCNP to CCIE, Cisco is also working to add relevant AI and machine learning skills to its existing certifications.

The focus on AI in training is important now, according to Cisco, as business and technology leaders work to keep pace with technology advances and stay ahead of their competitors.

“In a dynamic landscape where competition is fierce, speed decides the winders. Leaders who act decisively today to build resilient, future-proofed networks will be the AI-forward leaders driving real value for their business,” said Jeetu Patel, Cisco’s Chief Product Officer, in a statement. “Eventually, there will be only two kinds of companies: those that are AI companies, and those that are irrelevant.”

Also at Cisco Live EMEA in Amsterdam, the company released the results of its CEO study, which was conducted by Opinion Matters between December 24, 2024 and January 2, 2025 and surveyed some 2,503 CEOs from companies with more than 250 employees worldwide. The research shows that the majority of CEOs polled recognize AI’s potential benefits and plan to integrate AI into their operations, 74% fear that gaps in knowledge will hinder decisions in the boardroom and 58% worry it will stifle growth. More than 70% of the CEOs worry about losing ground to competitors and missing out on opportunities because of IT and infrastructure gaps. The study shows that 61% of CEOs are improving AI education to address their concerns.

“CEOs are turning to AI for its transformative potential: driving efficiency (69%), spurring innovation (68%), and outpacing competitors (54%). But fulfilling that ambition requires CEOs to break down the barriers holding them back from realizing AI’s potential: skills shortages, infrastructure gaps, and security risks,” Cisco said in a statement.

In addition to the survey, Cisco unwrapped a new family of data center switches — the N9300 series — it says will help customers more securely support large workloads and facilitate AI development across the enterprise.