By Joe Vaccaro,
Publication Date: 2026-09-23 13:00:00
Network operations (NetOps) teams have been managing more for years. Users and businesses have higher performance expectations despite increasing complexity from more applications, devices, cloud dependencies, security controls, and telemetry. Now AI workloads are adding another layer of NetOps demand with new traffic patterns, performance requirements, and operational complexity.
A recent Cisco and Omdia study of 1,000 IT and network operations leaders confirms this shift to AI-led networks run by autonomous agents. It shows a market that is moving faster than many expected: 75% of organizations have already deployed AI for network operations. More than half are running agentic AI systems that act in production today, and 84% expect to reach an AI-led operating model within 12 months.
Network operations leaders aren’t simply testing AI at the edge of the workflow; they’re allowing agents to take on operational responsibility, including actions in production…
