Cisco President Rejects “AI Will Destroy All Entry Jobs” Claim
Cisco’s President and Chief Product Officer, Jeetu Patel, dismissed alarming predictions that artificial intelligence will eliminate all entry-level jobs. Speaking at the Ai4 conference in Las Vegas in August 2025, Patel called these claims overblown and misguided, emphasizing that humans will not become obsolete due to AI advancements.
Patel acknowledged that there may be some disruption as AI reshapes the workforce, but strongly disagreed with forecasts suggesting AI could replace half of all entry-level white-collar positions. He stressed that entry-level employees provide fresh perspectives essential for innovation and warned that eliminating these roles would be a poor long-term strategy for companies. Cisco continues to hire young talent and actively integrates AI as a tool to enhance productivity rather than replace human workers.
Cisco Leader Highlights Need for Reskilling and Collaboration
While embracing AI technology, Patel urged a balanced approach involving retraining and reskilling workers to prepare them for changing job requirements. He emphasized that sectors such as customer support and sales will still require human interaction for the foreseeable future. Patel also highlighted the responsibility of the tech community and governments to minimize societal pain during AI-driven transitions by investing in education and workforce development.
Patel's comments are presented in the midst of reduced entry-level hiring reports and broader concerns about the impact of the AI labor market. However, it is still optimistic that AI will serve as a co-pilot for human workers, allowing them to focus on tasks and innovation of greater value instead of making work obsolete.
The Cisco leader’s perspective offers a counter-narrative to widespread fears of massive job losses, positioning AI as a transformative tool that augments rather than replaces human capabilities.