How AI and Automation Are Shaping the Next Network Era – Key Insights

Driven by rapid growth in technology performance, the world is becoming increasingly interconnected, digital, and diverse, with virtually every device capable of processing data. According to Metcalfe’s Law, as more devices and users join, the value and importance of networks increase exponentially, creating scale and complexity that outpace traditional IT management capabilities.

Report Scope

The report examines emerging network technology trends, operational trends, and talent trends, focusing on global network business and technology developments. Sources are the Global Enterprise Solutions (Cisco) and a downloadable 2020 Global Network Trends Report.

1. Large‑Scale Network Automation

Key technologies such as Software‑Defined Networking (SDN), Intent‑Based Networking (IBN), network virtualization, programmability, and open‑platform controllers enable networks to automatically adapt to business needs and operational processes.

IBN enhances SDN automation by translating intent into policies, collecting data, providing visibility, correcting issues, and ensuring policies are executed as intended. It aims to continuously apply and guarantee service performance, security, and compliance across the network.

Open‑platform controller APIs allow integration with adjacent networks, IT services, business applications, and heterogeneous infrastructure, facilitating intelligent data exchange.

Survey data from IT leaders shows:

Automation (25%), SDN (23%) and IBN (16%) are seen as the most impactful technologies over the next five years.

27% view isolated design of access, WAN, data‑center, cloud and security domains as a barrier to adopting advanced network technologies.

34% consider better collaboration and integration with other IT teams a critical improvement area.

Only 4% believe their networks are already intent‑based, but 35% plan to transition to intent‑based networking within two years.

SD‑Access and SD‑WAN follow the same principles: SD‑Access improves user and device access protection, while SD‑WAN enhances user experience when accessing applications and cloud services.

2. AI‑Driven Assurance

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is driving transformation across industries, with AI‑Ops (intelligent operations) becoming increasingly mature. AI encompasses machine learning (ML) and machine reasoning (MR). ML enables statistical learning from data without explicit programming, while MR uses acquired knowledge to explore options and find optimal solutions.

ML can identify hidden patterns in training data, allowing systems to infer knowledge and improve over time. In network contexts, ML and MR support three main assurance areas:

Complex Event Processing – establishing dynamic baselines for normal operation of a given intent.

Correlated Insights – providing deeper visibility, predicting future anomalies, and enhancing ML capabilities with MR‑derived expertise.

3. Data and Application Networking in Multi‑Cloud Environments

Enterprises must prioritize critical cloud‑based applications and services, extending consistent, policy‑driven automation across hybrid and multi‑cloud deployments. Managing variables such as applications, data, users, and devices requires close collaboration between infrastructure‑operations (I&O) and network teams.

Traditional “branch‑to‑data‑center” WAN architectures increase cost and latency, while “cloud‑direct access” enables secure, direct connections from branches to cloud services, simplifying policy management and delivering multi‑layered security (encryption, authentication, segmentation, firewall, DNS protection) within minutes.

4. Network Access and Wireless

Emerging features like OpenRoaming will provide seamless, always‑online, secure global roaming across Wi‑Fi 6 and 5G public networks. Wireless networks need enhanced analytics and AI for planning, health monitoring, troubleshooting, and remediation, as well as automated policy enforcement for IoT and immersive media applications.

5. Evolving Network Security Roles

Security and intent‑based networking converge to enable rapid response to threats. Key security responsibilities for NetOps teams include:

Visibility – maintaining insight into distributed applications and data models.

Zero‑Trust Access – treating all users, devices, and applications as untrusted by default.

Continuous Protection – acting as both detection and enforcement agents to quickly contain compromised devices.

Trusted Network Infrastructure – safeguarding network systems against attacks.

Seamless SecOps/NetOps Workflow – integrating tools and data to automate threat defense, detection, and response.

Survey results indicate 95% of respondents see strong collaboration between SecOps and NetOps, yet differences in data, workflows, and tools persist.

Key Takeaways

To succeed in the emerging network era, organizations must adopt intent‑based, automated networking, leverage AI for assurance, implement consistent multi‑cloud connectivity, modernize wireless strategies, and redefine security roles to integrate zero‑trust principles and collaborative operations.