NTT Data and Cisco have launched a co-sponsored IDC InfoBrief, Wired for Intelligence: A CIO Guide to Enterprise Networking for AI that shares strategic guidance for organisations seeking to accelerate transformation by modernising their network infrastructure.
As organisations integrate AI into more applications, from manufacturing and healthcare to financial services, the demand for high-speed, low-latency, and secure networks is surging. Legacy infrastructure is no longer sufficient to support the scale and complexity of AI workloads.
The study highlights that network modernisation is at the heart of AI success.
More than 78% of companies say that networking capabilities are either important or very important when selecting providers for GenAI infrastructure — underscoring the need for networks that can handle and secure ever-scaling AI workloads while running complex AI training, inference, and storage clusters with ease.
At the same time, modernisation also infuses AI into network operations through AI-driven configuration, anomaly detection, self-healing, and intelligent monitoring to accelerate issue resolution and elevate user experience.
Already, industries like manufacturing, healthcare, and financial services are leveraging AI in networking to improve operational efficiency, ensure secure connectivity and reduce costs.
NTT DATA and Cisco are helping clients evolve from outdated architectures to intelligent, adaptive infrastructure that can power AI-driven innovation.
“As two market leaders, NTT DATA and Cisco are well positioned to help clients modernize their digital infrastructure foundations for the AI era. The network exists as a catalyst for growth and organizations can unlock powerful new capabilities and achieve AI-driven business transformation at scale,” says Dilip Kumar, global head: technology solutions at NTT Data.
Hani Nofal, senior vice-president: technology solution in Middle East and Africa, comments: “Across Africa, organizations are rapidly embracing AI to drive innovation, efficiency, and resilience. But without a modern, secure network foundation, these ambitions can stall. Our partnership with Cisco empowers clients in South Africa to build AI-ready infrastructure that supports real-time insights, automation, and scalable growth. Together, we’re enabling enterprises to unlock the full potential of AI and transform their operations for the future.”