NTT DATA and Cisco have announced a deepened collaboration aimed at reshaping enterprise networking for the artificial intelligence era, underscoring the mounting pressure on organizations to overhaul legacy systems that can no longer sustain modern digital workloads.
The two companies revealed their joint initiative through a new IDC InfoBrief, Wired for Intelligence: A CIO Guide to Enterprise Networking for AI, which outlines how businesses can modernize network infrastructure to accelerate digital transformation and unlock AI-driven value at scale.
The integration of AI across industries is creating unprecedented demands on networks. From manufacturing and healthcare to financial services, enterprises are embedding AI into critical applications requiring high-performance, low-latency, and secure connectivity. Legacy networking equipment, often built for traditional workloads, is ill-equipped to handle the scale, complexity, and dynamic nature of AI environments. NTT DATA and Cisco argue that enterprises now face a fundamental decision: either modernize their networks or risk falling behind in the global AI race.
According to the IDC study, more than 78 percent of organizations recognize that networking capabilities are critical when selecting providers for generative AI infrastructure. Companies are increasingly looking for intelligent networks that not only transport data but also incorporate AI-driven functions such as anomaly detection, self-healing, configuration automation, and predictive monitoring. These capabilities are becoming essential for ensuring reliability, reducing operational costs, and accelerating issue resolution. Industries already leveraging AI-enabled networking are reporting gains in operational efficiency, improved resilience, and secure data flows that can support mission-critical processes.
NTT DATA executives frame the network as a core enabler of business growth in the AI era. “As two market leaders, NTT DATA and Cisco are well positioned to help clients modernize their digital infrastructure foundations for the AI era,” said Dilip Kumar, Global Head of Technology Solutions at NTT DATA. “The network exists as a catalyst for growth, and organizations can unlock powerful new capabilities and achieve AI-driven business transformation at scale.”
Cisco’s leadership emphasized that modernization is not limited to upgrading hardware but involves an architectural rethink to align with AI-driven operations. “Network modernization is about more than replacing old hardware – it’s about allowing enterprises to lead in an AI-driven world,” noted Brink Sanders, Senior Vice President of Global Networking Sales at Cisco.
IDC’s perspective was similarly blunt: “Your network will make or break your AI transformation,” said Chris Barnard, Vice President of European Telecoms and Infrastructure at IDC, stressing that the shift from outdated systems to AI-ready networks is no longer optional.
To meet this moment, NTT DATA is expanding its suite of intelligent services to support enterprises through the full lifecycle of modernization. Its offerings cover advisory services to align networking with AI goals, strategic sourcing of next-generation technologies, professional services to architect and deploy scalable systems, and adoption services to maximize infrastructure value. Software-defined infrastructure services integrate automation and AI into day-to-day operations, while managed services provide end-to-end oversight of network performance, ensuring seamless data flow across edge and cloud environments.
A highlight of this expanded portfolio is NTT DATA’s recently launched AI-powered Software Defined Infrastructure services for Cisco technologies. These solutions deliver automation, real-time monitoring, and optimization capabilities designed to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and help enterprises translate infrastructure investments into measurable business outcomes.
The NTT DATA and Cisco partnership illustrates a broader trend: networks are no longer passive transport layers but the backbone of enterprise AI adoption. As businesses intensify their digital transformation efforts, the ability to build intelligent, adaptive networks could become the deciding factor between successful AI integration and stalled innovation. For global enterprises, the message is clear – AI demands new infrastructure foundations, and the network sits at the center of this transformation.
