Cisco Systems believes quantum computing’s next major challenge will be enabling different quantum systems to communicate reliably with one another. According to its Global Innovation Officer Guy Diedrich, companies are now preparing for a future where AI, quantum computing, and other emerging technologies are advancing at the same time rather than in separate waves.
In this interview, Diedrich discusses quantum networking, post-quantum security, skills shortages, and why future engineers may need stronger grounding in ethics and critical thinking alongside technical expertise.
How quickly is the quantum era approaching?
I do think it is happening that quickly. We used to have the luxury of ages. We had the Industrial Age for more than 240 years, the Information Age for about 40 years, and the Digital Age for around 15 years. Now we are in what you could call an AI moment, or a micro age. It is here and gone very quickly.
AI itself is not new. Academic papers around AI were written in the 1960s. At Cisco Systems, AI has been embedded in networks and security for more than a decade. Three and a half years ago, it entered public consciousness through ChatGPT, and suddenly people saw it as something entirely new.
AI will become embedded into everything and eventually become almost invisible. Alongside that, we are going to see the emergence of quantum.
In 2010, when I was still in academia, I was approached by Marlan Scully, widely regarded as the father of quantum optics. He proposed expanding the Institute for Quantum Studies at the top floors of a physics building at Texas A&M University.
That was now 16 years ago, and quantum research itself predates even that. What we are seeing now is not the birth of quantum, but its emergence into practical relevance. Its time has come.
How does quantum differ from AI in practical terms?
The foundational mathematics change completely. We are used to classical systems built around ones and zeros. Quantum introduces entirely new mathematics and new areas of inquiry.
The example I often use is healthcare. Today, AI helps with things like drug discovery and spotting anomalies in radiology scans. Quantum could eventually allow every person to have a digital twin down to the DNA level.
Instead of broad treatments like chemotherapy, you could potentially develop autologous cancer vaccines designed specifically for the cancer as it exists within your DNA. You could test those vaccines first inside a digital twin of your biological system to ensure they interact properly and do not create unintended consequences.
That is the fundamental difference. AI is already delivering extraordinary capabilities, but quantum represents a much more fundamental shift.
What quantum networking challenges is Cisco trying to solve?
One of the biggest challenges in quantum today is enabling different systems to communicate with one another.
What we are developing is a universal quantum chip designed to support multiple modalities. It effectively acts as a universal switch with a compiler capable of converting information between different quantum environments so they can communicate.
Another major challenge has been preserving quantum information during transmission. Historically, routing quantum information between systems risked degrading or destroying the information itself. We have now demonstrated in our laboratories that we can route quantum information between systems without destroying it.
The technology also operates at room temperature. You do not need superconducting refrigeration systems, and it works with existing infrastructure over standard telephony systems.
It is designed as a full-stack architecture rather than a point solution.
Why is interoperability becoming so important in quantum computing?
Different companies are going to continue pursuing different approaches to quantum, and that is not necessarily the issue. The more important challenge is making sure these systems can communicate with one another.
There may be competitive advantages in different modalities, but organisations will still need those environments to exchange information reliably.
One of the things we are finding is that information can now move between systems without degradation, which historically has been one of the key problems in mastering quantum networking.
We have always focused on interoperability between environments. Organisations increasingly operate across multiple environments, and interoperability becomes very important in those situations.
How is post-quantum cryptography changing enterprise priorities?
For years, the industry has focused on the idea of Q Day, the point at which quantum systems become capable of breaking existing encryption methods.
I actually think there will be a precursor to Q Day, where regulators begin requiring evidence of quantum preparedness and compliance before that moment arrives.
Organisations are going to need to demonstrate that they are prepared before quantum systems reach that stage.
We are already building post-quantum cryptography directly into our architectures. At Cisco Live EMEA 2026, for example, we introduced a full-stack post-quantum cryptography architecture that applies quantum-safe cryptography across every layer, from devices and hardware through to applications and data.
That matters because vulnerabilities in one area can affect entire ecosystems.
Will AI and quantum widen the digital divide?
I think these technologies absolutely have the potential to help bridge the divide, but we have to distinguish between the availability of connectivity and the accessibility of connectivity.
Connectivity is increasingly available across much of the world. The challenge is accessibility. In many places, access remains unaffordable, or people lack the digital literacy needed to take advantage of it.
That is the gap we have to bridge.
I used to describe it this way: The connected world is on a rocket ship accelerating further into the future, while the unconnected risk becoming increasingly invisible. As we connect more devices and continue advancing AI and quantum technologies, that gap could continue increasing if we do not address accessibility.
At the same time, this is not only about fairness. It is also economically important. Countries that connect and skill more of their populations will be in a much stronger position to benefit from future economic growth tied to these technologies.
Why is skilling becoming such a major priority?
Five years ago, if you had asked me how many countries considered skilling a top national priority, I probably would have answered none. Today, all 57 countries we work with place it among their highest priorities.
Technology is evolving faster than ever, while human skills are not keeping pace.
We no longer live in eras that last decades. We are moving through moments of innovation very rapidly. That means people need opportunities to continuously learn and adapt.
At Cisco, we moved all of our skilling initiatives directly into the innovation office because we recognised that we needed to skill at the speed of innovation.
The shelf life of skills is shrinking dramatically. Moving forward, many skills may remain relevant for only 18 to 24 months. In some cases, people may need to learn entirely new capabilities in very short learning cycles.
That requires much more agile learning environments than traditional education models.
We introduced programs such as “Time to Grow,” where employees receive paid time specifically for learning and reskilling. The goal is to create pathways that allow people to transition into new roles within the company rather than becoming displaced by technological change.
What technologies beyond AI and quantum are emerging?
One of the most fascinating developments right now is that nothing is happening sequentially anymore. AI, agentic AI, quantum computing, and neuromorphic computing are all emerging concurrently and increasingly feeding into one another.
AI is accelerating quantum development, which then accelerates AI further. It becomes a loop where progress compounds on itself.
Neuromorphic computing is especially interesting because it attempts to mimic how the human brain works.
We are also seeing exploration around DNA storage. Researchers demonstrated years ago that enormous amounts of information could potentially be stored within DNA structures occupying only a very small physical space.
What is striking is that all these technologies are beginning to converge simultaneously.
What does “creative destruction” mean for the workforce?
Creative destruction is the idea that innovation requires replacing older systems and jobs with new ones.
We are already seeing some jobs disappear as automation advances. The World Economic Forum estimates roughly 92 million jobs could disappear by 2030, while around 170 million new jobs could emerge.
That pattern has repeated throughout history.
Innovation requires making room for new capabilities and industries. The challenge is ensuring people can transition into those emerging opportunities.
That is why reskilling matters so much.
Why could the humanities become more important in the AI era?
I sometimes describe this as the “revenge of the humanities.”
When I worked in academia, I watched engineering and computer science programs grow rapidly while interest in the humanities declined significantly. That made sense because technical graduates were often receiving much higher salary offers.
But now we are entering an environment where information itself is universally accessible. When everyone has access to answers, the most valuable skill becomes asking the right questions.
That is fundamentally the domain of the humanities.
Similarly, when technology increasingly allows us to answer “Can we?”, the more important question becomes “Should we?”
That requires ethics, critical thinking, reasoning, and philosophy. We are going to need more engineers and scientists who can also navigate those ethical and societal questions.
I believe we will need to cultivate a new generation of humanistic engineers who understand both the technology and the broader human implications surrounding it.
How is Cisco approaching AI ethics and governance?
We are lucky at Cisco because somebody had the forethought years ago to create an ethical framework for AI.
That framework introduces responsibility into every decision we make around AI development and deployment. Some people argue ethical boundaries slow innovation down, but I disagree. Ethical frameworks create safe boundaries within which innovation can happen responsibly.
As AI capabilities continue advancing, ethical challenges are becoming more urgent and more complex.
That is why I believe organisations will increasingly require ethicists and interdisciplinary thinkers working alongside engineers and scientists.
The technology is absolutely going to exist. The question is whether we develop the judgement and governance structures necessary to use it responsibly.
What should enterprises prepare for as quantum adoption accelerates?
One of the biggest challenges is talent.
MIT research found that only around 30% of applicants for quantum jobs were actually qualified for those roles. In other words, many available quantum jobs currently lack qualified talent.
At the same time, many organisations are still struggling to become AI-ready. Most companies recognise AI will become foundational to their future success, yet only a relatively small percentage believe they are truly prepared to take full advantage of it.
Now quantum, neuromorphic computing, and other emerging technologies are arriving simultaneously.
I sometimes describe it as a rogue wave: multiple waves of innovation converging into something far larger and more powerful than any individual trend alone.
The advantage is that we know this wave is coming. That gives industry, academia, and governments an opportunity to work together now to prepare for it.
