At Davos, Cisco executives outlined efforts to build trust in AI, expand global skills, and invest in Africa as technology reshapes economies and societies.
The World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, is defined by transformation—of economies, societies, technology, and the planet. In 2026, however, the pace of that transformation has become what Cisco Chair and CEO Chuck Robbins calls “a new normal.”
At this year’s forum, Robbins was joined by Cisco executives Jeetu Patel, president and chief product officer, and Fran Katsoudas, executive vice president and chief people, policy, and purpose officer, to discuss how the company is addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Their conversations ranged from artificial intelligence and energy infrastructure to skills development in Africa and the urgent need to rebuild public trust.
During a World Economic Forum roundtable titled “Who Brokers Trust Now?”, Robbins reflected on the erosion of confidence in institutions amid geopolitical instability, inequality, and rapid technological disruption. He emphasized that private-sector organizations have a critical role to play in restoring that trust—particularly as AI becomes embedded in daily life.
“There are lots of organizations where trust still exists,” Robbins said, “and that work together to actually think about regulation [of AI] and then take ownership in ensuring that we are not utilizing AI in a way that is improper.”
For Robbins, responsible AI use is more than good business practice. “You have to have a moral high ground,” he added. “You have to be transparent. You have to be open and interact with governments.”
He also highlighted Cisco’s community initiatives, including its 40 Communities program, which invests in local development projects worldwide. “Companies can actually be part of the solution,” Robbins said. “It’s not just about us—other companies are doing similar things.”
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Building the Infrastructure for the AI Era
In a separate CNBC interview, Patel expanded on the theme of AI and trust. He described artificial intelligence as the most consequential technological shift of our lifetimes, with the potential to transform fields such as medicine and poverty reduction. But he warned that progress could be slowed by three major constraints: trust and security, a shortage of AI-ready infrastructure, and gaps in high-quality data.
“If people don’t trust these systems, they’re not going to use them,” Patel said. “Safety and security are paramount.”
Patel noted that the growing energy demands of AI are reshaping how data centers are built and deployed. Instead of being concentrated in single locations, future data centers will be distributed across regions where power is available. That shift, he explained, requires new networking technologies capable of minimizing latency across vast distances.
“As AI gets bigger and bigger, you might need multiple data centers to operate like one logical unit,” Patel said. “That requires a whole new set of technologies—scale across data centers so facilities hundreds of kilometers apart can behave like one ultra cluster. That’s technology we’re building.”
He added that Cisco has invested billions of dollars to address these challenges, pointing to the company’s strengths in networking, security, and data analytics through its Splunk platform.
A Growing Focus on Africa
Katsoudas used the Davos platform to highlight Cisco’s expanding commitment to Africa, where the company sees both immense potential and urgent needs.
In an interview with Semafor, she cited Cisco’s AI Readiness Index, which found that only 13 percent of companies globally are fully prepared for AI adoption. In South Africa, that figure rises to 19 percent—higher than in the United States and Europe—demonstrating strong momentum among businesses.
At the same time, she noted a stark digital divide: roughly 60 percent of people across the continent remain unconnected to the internet.
“There’s something there that we absolutely have to get after,” Katsoudas said, pointing to the need for expanded infrastructure, cybersecurity safeguards, and responsible AI practices.
Cisco’s Networking Academy has trained 1.6 million learners in Africa to date, with a goal of reaching 3 million by 2032. “Security is a big part of what we’re training on,” she said, emphasizing that AI, connectivity, and cybersecurity all require a skilled workforce.
Looking ahead, Katsoudas expressed optimism about the continent’s future. “Seventy-five percent of young people are thinking about the companies they want to start over the next five years,” she said. “By 2050, a quarter of the global workforce will be in Africa. If we can give them the right tools—AI among them—the continent will be unstoppable.”
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From rebuilding trust in artificial intelligence to expanding opportunity in emerging markets, Cisco’s message at Davos was clear: technology must serve not only innovation, but society at large.
