Cisco is struggling to fill critical AI and machine learning operations positions as the tech giant faces intense competition in an increasingly tight talent market. Fran Katsoudas Jones, Cisco’s Chief People Officer, revealed that the qualified pool of AI talent is extremely small while demand has skyrocketed across the industry.
The challenge stems from the fact that “everyone” is currently hiring for AI positions, Jones explained. Every forward-thinking organization now needs AI integrated into both their products and internal IT teams, creating unprecedented demand for specialized talent. AI and ML Ops roles at Cisco involve automating and streamlining IT operations, requiring candidates with a unique combination of experience in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and operations, along with a proven track record of developing successful products.
To win the AI talent wars, Cisco has deployed a novel strategy: getting top executives directly involved in recruitment. Jones emphasized that having leaders like Jeetu Patel, Cisco’s President and Chief Product Officer, personally call candidates makes a significant difference. This executive involvement helps Cisco stand out in a landscape plagued by “AI washing,” where companies claim AI capabilities without substantive innovation. “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 noted.
Cisco isn’t alone in this approach. Other tech giants like Citadel, OpenAI, and Meta have similarly deployed executive-level recruitment tactics, with Sam Altman reportedly calling candidates and Mark Zuckerberg hosting prospects at his home.
Beyond technical skills, Cisco evaluates candidates for behavioral traits and leadership potential. Jones looks for intellectual curiosity, emotional agility, and the ability to bring teams along on the journey. The company has also expanded its talent attraction strategy beyond traditional recruiting, establishing presence in tech forums, industry events, and communities where AI professionals congregate. This includes leveraging channels like Cisco’s Tech Pulse newsletter and having senior leaders actively engage on LinkedIn and at industry events to connect with both experienced professionals and the next generation of AI talent.
Key Quotes
The qualified pool is so small, and the demand is so high
Fran Katsoudas Jones, Cisco’s Chief People Officer, explained the fundamental challenge facing the company’s AI recruitment efforts, highlighting the severe imbalance between available talent and industry-wide demand for AI specialists.
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 criticized the widespread practice of ‘AI washing’ in the tech industry, where companies exaggerate their AI capabilities to attract talent and customers, making it harder for organizations doing genuine AI innovation to differentiate themselves.
We’re looking for people who have done this, who have been there, and have a good story to tell
Jones outlined Cisco’s hiring criteria for AI roles, emphasizing the importance of proven experience and tangible accomplishments over theoretical knowledge, reflecting the premium placed on battle-tested AI expertise.
It’s not just about skills, because those can be learned, but also about the leadership characteristics an applicant has
The Chief People Officer revealed that Cisco evaluates AI candidates beyond technical capabilities, looking for traits like intellectual curiosity and emotional agility that indicate long-term leadership potential in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
Our Take
Cisco’s AI talent struggles reveal a fundamental transformation in tech recruiting where traditional hiring processes are inadequate for the AI era. The involvement of C-suite executives in individual hiring decisions represents an extraordinary allocation of leadership time, signaling that AI talent acquisition has become a CEO-level priority.
The “AI washing” phenomenon Jones describes is particularly concerning, as it creates noise that obscures genuine innovation and makes it harder for talented professionals to identify organizations doing meaningful AI work. This could lead to talent misallocation where skilled AI professionals join companies with overstated capabilities.
What’s most striking is the emphasis on proven experience over potential, which creates a catch-22: if everyone demands candidates who have “been there and done that,” how do new AI professionals gain that experience? This suggests the talent shortage may be partially self-inflicted, with companies potentially overlooking promising candidates who could be developed into AI leaders.
Why This Matters
This story illuminates the critical talent shortage facing the AI industry as companies race to build competitive AI capabilities. The scarcity of qualified AI and ML Ops professionals represents a significant bottleneck that could determine which companies succeed in the AI era and which fall behind.
The executive recruitment tactics described signal just how desperate major tech companies have become for top AI talent, fundamentally changing traditional hiring practices. When CEOs and C-suite executives personally court candidates, it demonstrates that AI talent has become as strategic an asset as technology itself.
For businesses, this talent crunch means higher compensation costs and longer time-to-hire for AI positions, potentially slowing AI adoption and innovation. For workers with AI skills, it represents unprecedented career opportunities and leverage. The phenomenon of “AI washing” that Jones mentions also highlights a broader industry problem: companies overstating their AI capabilities to attract talent and customers, which could lead to disillusionment and market corrections. This talent war will likely intensify as AI becomes more central to competitive advantage across industries.
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Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/cisco-hr-says-ai-ml-roles-hard-to-fill-2026-1