AI is entering a new phase. Businesses are no longer exploring generative AI for writing, summarising, or searching. They are now preparing for agentic AI — systems that can take action, support workflows, automate decisions, and operate across business environments. But according to Cisco, successful AI adoption does not depend on AI tools alone. It depends heavily on the network. Cisco’s latest research with Foundry shows that many organisations are already facing pressure on campus and branch networks as AI usage grows. The study found that 73% of organisations already face, or expect to face, network capacity constraints within two years. Network traffic has already risen 34% in the past year, with organisations expecting traffic to grow 96% over the next 12 months and 209% over the next three years. For businesses, this sends a clear message: AI readiness is not only about software. It requires secure, visible, scalable, and modern network infrastructure.
Agentic AI will Increase Network Demand
Agentic AI, generative AI, robotics, AI-powered applications, and connected devices all depend on fast and reliable data movement. As more employees, applications, devices, and AI systems interact across the business, networks need to handle larger traffic volumes and more complex workloads. Cisco’s research found that more than 90% of organisations fear financial and competitive risk if campus and branch networks are not adapted for AI-driven demand. However, only 30% of even the most aggressive AI adopters say they are fully prepared for projected AI growth across the network.
This means many businesses may want to adopt AI faster than their current infrastructure can support. Without network modernisation, organisations may face slow performance, poor user experience, limited scalability, and higher operational risk.
AI Adoption Requires Stronger Network Security
As AI expands across business environments, security risk also increases. Cisco reported that 80% of organisations expect security risks to rise as AI adoption moves beyond generative AI use cases. Another 80% said AI has already expanded their attack surface in the past 12 months. This is especially important for businesses using multiple AI tools, cloud platforms, remote work environments, and connected devices. Every new workflow and access point can create more complexity for IT teams.
Cisco highlights the network as a key foundation for trust because it connects users, devices, applications, data centres, cloud environments, and edge locations. With the right network security approach, businesses can improve monitoring, control access, apply policies, and reduce exposure across the full IT environment.
Visibility is Critical for AI-Ready Infrastructure
AI-driven environments can become difficult to manage when businesses have fragmented systems, distributed users, multiple platforms, and limited visibility across the network. Cisco’s research found that 71% of respondents reported growing blind spots in monitoring and visibility. This matters because businesses cannot secure, optimise, or troubleshoot what they cannot see.
A stronger network platform can help IT teams gain better visibility across traffic, devices, users, applications, and security events. This supports faster troubleshooting, better policy control, stronger governance, and more confident AI adoption. For businesses preparing for AI, visibility should not be treated as an optional upgrade. It is a core requirement for secure and reliable digital operations.
How JK Tech Helps
JK Tech helps businesses strengthen their network infrastructure and prepare AI-ready operations with Cisco solutions. This includes support for Cisco networking, switches, routers, wireless solutions, firewall and security, secure access, network monitoring, infrastructure planning, deployment, maintenance, and managed IT support. As AI, hybrid work, cloud applications, and connected devices increase network demands; businesses need stronger performance, security, visibility, and reliability. JK Tech can help organisations assess their current network, close infrastructure gaps, and build a more resilient foundation for modern work and future digital transformation.
Further Reading & Resources
https://newsroom.cisco.com/c/r/newsroom/en/us/a/y2026/m06/the-key-to-agentic-ai-adoption-the-network.html – Cisco Newsroom
Source: Cisco Systems, Inc.
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