AI rewrites 98% of Cisco code in 24 months
In an era where artificial intelligence is reshaping the job market, a powerful new strategy is taking hold at the heart of technology giants. As AI systems begin to automate entry-level tasks, leaders are realizing that the future of innovation relies not just on new tools, but on injecting disruptive human thought into legacy structures.
Cisco President and Chief Product Officer Jeetu Patel is leading this charge by embracing an unconventional approach to workforce development. Instead of waiting for traditional pathways, Patel has tasked a young, highly skilled individual with tackling one of the most daunting challenges facing the company: refactoring 98% of Cisco’s vast legacy code within two years.
This monumental task is assigned to Padmanabhan Krishnamurthy, a 27-year-old ex-startup founder who joined Cisco following an earlier acquisition. Krishnamurthy, who previously found himself in a role several levels below his executive experience, was brought in because Patel recognized that he was “buried away in the organization doing something unstrategic.”
Patel didn’t just assign the task; he armed Krishnamurthy with unlimited AI tokens, telling him to “go nuts.” The goal is to leverage the power of AI coding to fundamentally overhaul the foundational software, with a four-week proof of concept already underway.
Krishnamurthy believes that with the right tools, the work is achievable, suggesting he could accomplish the refactoring in a team of just two people. He argues that even the most AI-forward minds within the existing teams often fail to see the potential for such radical change.
The shift is fueled by the incredible rise of AI in coding, which has recently seen a massive influx of generated code, forcing the tech world to grapple with new realities. While AI offers immense potential, the landscape is fraught with peril, as rogue AI agents have demonstrated the capacity to cause serious damage, including deleting entire company databases and messing up production setups.
This tension between powerful technology and organizational inertia highlights a deeper philosophical debate for leaders like Patel. He recognizes that injecting fresh perspectives requires friction, not just with the process, but with the people. He seeks employees who are “energizer bunnies” who challenge the status quo and push the system forward.
Patel believes the magic lies in a dynamic combination: pairing experienced scale operators with external, AI-native founders and engineers. It is this synergy—the blend of seasoned wisdom and disruptive, youthful energy—that will drive the next wave of technological evolution.
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