Network Engineers & AI: What You Need to Know, Learn, and Do Right Now

Is AI coming for your job — or is it your most powerful new tool? In this session from Cisco Live Amsterdam 2026, Hank Preston, Distinguished Architect with the Learn with Cisco team, tackles the question every network engineer is asking: Where do I fit in a world powered by AI? Spoiler: Network engineers are more important than ever. But the skills, roles, and responsibilities are evolving fast — and this session gives you a clear roadmap for what to learn, how to use AI effectively today, and how to avoid the pitfalls that can catch even experienced engineers off guard. Here's what you'll walk away with: 🧭 A clear understanding of how AI fits into the network engineering landscape 🔑 The AI fundamentals every network engineer needs to know 🛠️ Real, practical use cases you can apply today — from troubleshooting to config reviews 🤖 An intro to agentic AI and what it means for network operations 🏗️ The three roles network engineers will play in an AI-driven world: User, Supervisor, and Builder 📚 Where and how to build your AI skills with Cisco 🔗 Resources Mentioned Cisco U Learning Platform: u.cisco.com Cisco Network Academy: netacad.com Chapters: 0:00 Welcome & Introduction: Meet Hank Preston 0:20 Session Overview: New Skills, Same Packets 2:03 Network Engineering Has Always Been About Change 4:54 Do We Still Need to Learn Networking? 7:15 Do We Still Need Human Network Engineers? 9:36 AI Fundamentals: Key Terms Every Engineer Should Know 9:51 AI vs. Machine Learning — What's the Difference? 10:49 Generative AI & Large Language Models Explained 11:46 Agentic AI: The Next Frontier 12:43 Understanding Models, Training, and Inference 14:54 What Is Prompt Engineering & Why Does It Matter? 16:24 Hallucinations: The Risk You Can't Ignore 18:10 Why the Network Is Critical to AI Infrastructure 21:17 Three Roles Network Engineers Will Play with AI 21:22 Role 1 — User: Everyday AI in Your Workflow 23:32 Role 2 — Supervisor: Managing AI Agents & Recommendations 24:46 Role 3 — Builder: Constructing AI-Ready Infrastructure 26:04 Practical Use Cases for Network Engineers Today 26:14 Use Case 1: AI-Assisted Software Upgrade Prep 27:12 Use Case 2: Using RAG to Ground AI in Trusted Data 28:28 Use Case 3: AI as a Configuration Peer Reviewer 29:46 Use Case 4: Troubleshooting with Debug Log Analysis 31:05 Use Case 5: Agentic AI Running Show Commands Live 33:45 Use Case 6: Network Inventory & Data Analysis 35:13 Use Case 7: Roasting Your Network Design (Just for Fun!) 36:20 AI Skills Every Network Engineer Needs Right Now 38:46 How to Learn AI with Cisco: Resources & Learning Paths 40:24 Key Takeaways & Final Advice ✨ Subscribe for more tech videos! @CiscoUtube ✨ Create a Cisco U. Free Account: http://cs.co/9001OQtCx