TL;DR
Cisco overhauled its networking certifications to embed AI, automation, and observability skills, with new CCNA launching February 2027 and CCIE AI module rolling out in 2027.
Key Points
- New CCNA exam goes live February 3, 2027; topics available as of May 20, 2026
- CCIE practical exam adds one-hour AI Deploy, Operate, and Optimize module with embedded AI assistant
- CCNA refocused on four pillars: infrastructure, troubleshooting, security-first mindset, and AI in network operations
- Cisco releasing free 'human skills' tutorials on critical thinking and business communication via Cisco U.
Why It Matters
AI workloads demand networks optimized for bandwidth, latency, and observability—shifting network engineers from CLI operators to platform orchestrators. These certification updates signal that AI-fluency and automation mastery are now table-stakes for networking careers, not optional skills. For practitioners, it's a roadmap to stay relevant as the role fundamentally changes.
Source: www.networkworld.com