Ep. 51 (AI Futures) - Why You’ll Soon Be a "Manager of AI Agents": Jeetu Patel, President, CISCO with Anirudh Suri | AI Futures | Ep. 51

In this episode of the *AI Futures* podcast, host Anirudh Suri, tech investor and policy advisor, sits down with Jeetu Patel, President and Chief Product Officer of Cisco, for a raw and visionary conversation about the AI revolution.

This conversation is a deep exploration of how AI is reshaping business, labor, and society, interwoven with the inspiring story of how Jeetu rose to one of the most influential leadership roles. Whether you're a developer, a student, or a business leader, this interview provides a roadmap for thriving in a world where AI is no longer a tool, but a colleague. Key Discussion Points:- How can countries like India carve out leadership amidst the US-China duopoly in AI?- How are companies like Cisco positioning themselves in the AI revolution?- Why modern software development has "completely flipped" and what it means for the next generation of engineers.- How will organizational structures change as AI automates entry-level tasks? - What skills should the next generation build to stay relevant in an AI-driven world?- How do we embed trust, ethics, and human values into AI agents and AI systems?- Will AI make us intellectually weaker—or push us toward deeper thinking?-----The AI Futures Podcast series, hosted by Anirudh Suri, is organized in collaboration with the *Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India* as the intellectual prelude to the India AI Impact Summit 2026 being held from Feb 16 - 20, 2026 in New Delhi, India.Follow the India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/-----*About Jeetu Patel*Jeetu Patel is the President and Chief Product Officer at Cisco and is recognized as one of the world’s leading thinkers on product strategy and technological disruption. Under his leadership, Cisco has driven innovation across its broad portfolio of products, establishing the company as the critical infrastructure for the AI era.Patel joined Cisco in 2020 to lead the collaboration and security business. He quickly became recognized for his commitment to product design and user experience, leading the team through a period of rapid innovation to transform Webex and support customers through the global pandemic. In 2024 he was promoted to the role of Chief Product Officer, where he now leads several multibillion-dollar categories, including networking, computing, security, Splunk, and more.*About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast*Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India, where his research and writing focus on technology, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. Previously, Anirudh has worked with the Government of India in New Delhi, McKinsey and Co in New York, Goldman Sachs in London, and the Carnegie Endowment in Washington DC. He completed his MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and his MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School. The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.inWebsite: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/) Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AISummit #AI #Cisco #FutureOfWork #JeetuPatel #AnirudhSuri #Coding #IndiaTech #TechLeadership #TGTGpodcast #AIcoding #humanintheloop #AIsecurity #TechSovereignty #FutureOfWork #AIStrategy #India #PersonalJourney #Podcast