Cisco's HR Chief Highlights Severe AI Talent Shortage
Cisco's Chief People Officer Kelly Jones has pointed out a major problem in the tech industry. She says roles in artificial intelligence and machine learning operations are the most difficult positions to fill right now. The reason is simple but serious. There is an extremely small pool of qualified people and an unprecedented level of demand from companies.
The qualified pool is so small, and the demand is so high, Jones told Business Insider in a recent interview. She explained that almost every forward-thinking organization today is fighting for the same specialized talent. This competition exists both for product development teams and for internal IT operations departments.
Cisco's C-Suite Takes Direct Action to Hire AI Experts
To win over elite AI talent, Cisco has started using an unconventional hiring strategy. The company is getting its top executives directly involved in the recruitment process. Jones revealed that Cisco's President and Chief Product Officer Jeetu Patel personally makes phone calls to high-priority candidates.
This direct approach helps Cisco stand out from competitors. Jones criticized other firms for engaging in what she called AI washing. Many companies talk about adding AI to everything but do not actually work on interesting projects, she suggested.
Companies are talking about all these things they're doing and how they're slapping AI on everything, but they're actually not doing interesting things with work or with products, Jones said. The executive outreach from Cisco helps candidates understand the company's genuine AI initiatives beyond marketing talk.
Cisco is not alone in using high-level tactics. Other tech giants have adopted similar methods. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly invited promising candidates to his home for dinner meetings. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman makes direct calls to recruits he wants to bring on board.
AI Reshapes Entry-Level Roles at Cisco
While AI and ML specialist positions remain scarce, the technology itself is changing what entry-level work looks like at Cisco. The company has eliminated its most basic customer support roles. An AI assistant now handles those tasks, managing over one million cases since 2022, according to Jones.
This change has not resulted in fewer entry-level jobs overall. Instead, it has created different opportunities. Former first-tier support employees have moved into more advanced second-level roles. This shift forced Cisco to completely redesign its employee onboarding and training process.
You have to give them all of the learnings of level one because they're stepping in where the technology couldn't solve, Jones explained. New hires now deal with more complex customer issues that require human judgment and critical thinking.
AI Frees Up Employee Time, Not Just Cuts Costs
According to reports, Cisco is using AI to give time back to its employees rather than simply reducing expenses. The company has introduced AI agents that answer common HR questions and automate routine administrative tasks. This innovation could give Cisco's 86,000-person workforce back approximately five percent of their time.
For AI and ML roles specifically, Jones said Cisco evaluates more than just technical skills. The company looks for intellectual curiosity, emotional agility, and leadership potential in candidates. It's not just about skills, because those can be learned, she noted.
Cisco is also building its presence in tech communities, online forums, and industry events where specialized AI talent naturally gathers. This move goes beyond traditional talent branding strategies and aims to connect directly with the right people.
