TLDR: A recent Cisco report reveals that a mere 21% of Indian companies possess the necessary infrastructure for large-scale AI deployment. Despite India’s high aspirations in AI, readiness remains low. However, the advent of Agentic AI, which enables autonomous systems, is expected to be a game-changer, pushing firms to rapidly modernize their digital infrastructure.
According to a new report from Cisco, a significant gap exists between India’s ambitious goals in artificial intelligence and the current readiness of its enterprises. The report indicates that only 21% of Indian firms are adequately equipped with the essential infrastructure, such as GPUs and data center capabilities, required to handle demanding AI workloads. Liz Centoni, Cisco’s executive vice president and chief customer experience officer, highlighted this disparity, stating that while India’s aspiration to lead in AI is ‘sky-high,’ the on-ground readiness is considerably low. She emphasized the urgent need for Indian enterprises to modernize their infrastructure to maintain competitiveness in the evolving technological landscape.
The report points to Agentic AI as the next frontier in enterprise AI, moving beyond the capabilities of generative AI. Centoni explained that Agentic AI systems are designed not just to create content but to ‘act autonomously and complete multi-step goals.’ She further elaborated, ‘Generative AI democratised access to creation. Agentic AI is about autonomy – the ability of systems to take actions with varying levels of human oversight.’ Cisco itself has already begun integrating agentic systems internally and for its customers, for instance, leveraging over 40 years of operational data in customer support to proactively predict issues and recommend solutions.
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Addressing concerns regarding AI’s impact on employment, Centoni clarified that AI should be seen as an augmentative force rather than a replacement for human roles. ‘AI will change how we work, but it doesn’t have to replace people,’ she stated, stressing the importance of a ‘human and cultural aspect’ to this shift, where enterprises must ensure employees are brought along in the transformation. While the report focuses on AI readiness, it’s noted that Cisco undertook a global restructuring in late 2024, involving approximately 4,000 job layoffs, to reorient its focus towards high-growth areas like AI, which could have international implications.
