Cisco’s Vijoy Pandey: The New Internet, AI Agents, and Quantum Networks
Cisco’s Vijoy Pandey - SVP & GM of Outshift by Cisco - explains how AI agents and quantum networks could completely redefine how software, infrastructure, and security function in the next decade.You’ll learn:→ What “Agentic AI” and the “Internet of Agents” actually are→ How Cisco open-sourced the Internet of Agents framework and why decentralization matters→ The security threat of “store-now, decrypt-later” attacks—and how post-quantum cryptography will defend against them→ How Outshift’s “freedom to fail” model fuels real innovation inside a Fortune-500 company→ Why the next generation of software will blur the line between humans, AI agents, and machines→ The vision behind Cisco’s Quantum Internet—and two real-world use cases you can see today: Quantum Sync and Quantum AlertAbout Today’s Guest:Meet Vijoy Pandey, the mind behind Cisco’s Outshift—a team pushing the boundaries of what’s next in AI, quantum computing, and the future internet. With 80+ patents to his name and a career spent redefining how systems connect and think, he’s one of the few leaders truly building the next era of computing before the rest of us even see it coming.Key Moments:00:00 Meet Vijoy Pandey & Outshift’s mission04:30 The two hardest problems in computer science: Superintelligence & Quantum Computing06:30 Why “freedom to fail” is Cisco’s innovation superpower10:20 Inside the Outshift model: incubating like a startup inside Cisco21:00 What is Agentic AI? The rise of the Internet of Agents27:00 AGNTCY.org and open-sourcing the Internet of Agents32:00 What would an Internet of Agents actually look like?38:19 Responsible AI & governance: putting guardrails in early49:40 What is quantum computing? What is quantum networking?55:27 The vision for a global Quantum InternetWatch Next: https://youtu.be/-Jb2tWsAVwI?si=l79rdEGxB-i-Wrrn
-- This episode of IT Visionaries is brought to you by Meter - the company building better networks. Businesses today are frustrated with outdated providers, rigid pricing, and fragmented tools. Meter changes that with a single integrated solution that covers everything wired, wireless, and even cellular networking. They design the hardware, write the firmware, build the software, and manage it all so your team doesn't have to.That means you get fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of juggling multiple providers. Thanks to meter for sponsoring. Go to meter.com/itv to book a demo.---IT Visionaries is made by the team at Mission.org. Learn more about our media studio and network of podcasts at mission.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
--------
1:01:04
--------
1:01:04
3 Biggest Cybersecurity Threats & What IT Leaders Need To Know
Cybersecurity isn’t just about firewalls and passwords anymore. It’s an all-out battle where hackers run businesses with customer support desks, insider threats can be disguised as your newest hire, and artificial intelligence is both the weapon and the shield. In this special episode of IT Visionaries, host Chris Brandt switches roles and sits in the hot seat while Lacey Peace, host of Experts of Experience, interviews him about the three biggest cyber threats IT leaders must prepare for in 2025. From the rise of ransomware-as-a-service to North Korean nationals infiltrating U.S. companies, and AI reshaping the entire security landscape, Chris reveals what’s really happening behind the scenes of today’s most dangerous attacks. With stories from his career building high-security facilities — including an EMP-shielded data center buried under a mountain — Chris shares the lessons that every business leader needs to hear about resilience, recovery, and why it’s no longer a matter of “if” but “when.” Don’t miss this candid and eye-opening conversation. Watch the full episode now and learn how to protect your organization before it’s too late. Key Moments: 00:00: Lacey Peace Interviews Chris Brandt04:45 Cyber Extortion and Ransomware08:17 Supply Chain Attacks18:20 Creating an Isolated Recovery Environment20:08 Threat Number Two: IT Worker Attacks22:14 The Rise of Phishing Attacks27:26 The Evolution of Social Engineering30:19 The Role of AI in Cybersecurity33:01 Challenges in Reporting Cyber Incidents33:46 The Complexity of Cyber Incident Recovery34:45 The Role of Governments in Cybersecurity
-- This episode of IT Visionaries is brought to you by Meter - the company building better networks. Businesses today are frustrated with outdated providers, rigid pricing, and fragmented tools. Meter changes that with a single integrated solution that covers everything wired, wireless, and even cellular networking. They design the hardware, write the firmware, build the software, and manage it all so your team doesn't have to.That means you get fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of juggling multiple providers. Thanks to meter for sponsoring. Go to meter.com/itv to book a demo.---IT Visionaries is made by the team at Mission.org. Learn more about our media studio and network of podcasts at mission.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
--------
36:04
--------
36:04
$124B Data Problem: How Synthetic Data Accelerates AI
When your AI has to make decisions in the real world, the data you don’t have can hurt people. DiffuseDrive CEO Balint Pasztor joins IT Visionaries to unpack the $124B data scarcity problem holding back autonomous systems — and how synthetic data (done right) can compress years of data collection into hours. We dig into: why edge cases matter (and how to safely create them), closing the sim-to-real gap with diffusion models, preventing model drift, and building a data engine for physical AI across defense, robotics, and industrial automation. If you care about self-driving cars, drones, QA on the factory floor—or just shipping AI that survives the messiness of reality—this one’s for you. Key Moments:00:00 Introduction to Autonomous Driving Challenges00:26 Meet Balint Pasztor and Diffuse Drive01:14 The Importance of Synthetic Data06:39 The Role of Synthetic Data in AI Training18:07 Understanding Diffusion Models23:28 Challenges in Real-World Data Collection26:46 Three Steps to Improve AI Performance32:13 Overcoming Non-Obvious Data Challenges36:00 Balancing Data Quantity and Quality40:28 Future of Autonomous Systems and Physical AI
-- This episode of IT Visionaries is brought to you by Meter - the company building better networks. Businesses today are frustrated with outdated providers, rigid pricing, and fragmented tools. Meter changes that with a single integrated solution that covers everything wired, wireless, and even cellular networking. They design the hardware, write the firmware, build the software, and manage it all so your team doesn't have to.That means you get fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of juggling multiple providers. Thanks to meter for sponsoring. Go to meter.com/itv to book a demo.---IT Visionaries is made by the team at Mission.org. Learn more about our media studio and network of podcasts at mission.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
--------
45:13
--------
45:13
Turning 90 Years of Data into AI-Powered Insights
Discover how to turn decades of data into a competitive edge, build lasting customer relationships beyond the first click, and apply AI in ways that truly drive impact. Joining us is Vineet Mahajan, CTO of US News & World Report, who shares how he’s led the 90-year-old brand through a sweeping digital transformation. From rearchitecting infrastructure to deploying semantic search, generative AI, and agentic tools, Vineet explains how his team is reimagining what a legacy institution can become—and what every tech leader can take from that journey.Key Moments:00:00 Meet Vineet Mahajan, CTO of US News & World Report04:45 How to Unlock the True Value of Your Data09:55 Why First-Party Data Is Key to Building Customer Relationships14:32 What Is Semantic Search and How Can Generative AI Improve UX?18:39 How to Overcome Data Cleaning and Structuring Challenges21:18 How to Evaluate Emerging Tech Trends (Like Agentic AI)25:43 How to Lead Change: Data Governance and Digital Transformation32:38 What’s Next for US News & World Report and the Future of AI-Driven Strategy
-- This episode of IT Visionaries is brought to you by Meter - the company building better networks. Businesses today are frustrated with outdated providers, rigid pricing, and fragmented tools. Meter changes that with a single integrated solution that covers everything wired, wireless, and even cellular networking. They design the hardware, write the firmware, build the software, and manage it all so your team doesn't have to.That means you get fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of juggling multiple providers. Thanks to meter for sponsoring. Go to meter.com/itv to book a demo.---IT Visionaries is made by the team at Mission.org. Learn more about our media studio and network of podcasts at mission.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
--------
37:03
--------
37:03
What IT Leaders Can Learn from How the Government Buys Tech
IT leaders in regulated industries know the pain of navigating outdated, slow procurement systems – especially when critical missions depend on modern tools. In this episode, Bryana Tucci, Lead of the AWS Marketplace for the US Intelligence Community, shares how government agencies are overcoming legacy procurement bottlenecks to access cutting-edge software, AI tools, and cloud services faster and more securely.Listeners will gain insight into:Why traditional government procurement can take up to two years – and how that’s changing.How air-gapped environments complicate innovation and what’s being done about it.How generative AI is reshaping national security workflows.What kinds of tech companies are best positioned to succeed in the public sector.This episode is a must-listen for IT leaders interested in procurement innovation, cloud adoption in secure environments, and where AI fits into the future of public sector IT. Enjoy!Key Moments00:00 Meet Bryana Tucci, AWS06:58 The Pain Point: Procurement Then vs. Now11:31 Unique Challenges in Public Sector Tech15:55 The Long Road to Selling in Government19:23 Vetting and Onboarding Sellers (how to meet federal standards)23:49 Government + AI: A Game-Changer30:34 Cost Efficiency, Saving Time, and the Future of Procurement41:46 What’s Next for AWS Marketplace
-- This episode of IT Visionaries is brought to you by Meter - the company building better networks. Businesses today are frustrated with outdated providers, rigid pricing, and fragmented tools. Meter changes that with a single integrated solution that covers everything wired, wireless, and even cellular networking. They design the hardware, write the firmware, build the software, and manage it all so your team doesn't have to.That means you get fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of juggling multiple providers. Thanks to meter for sponsoring. Go to meter.com/itv to book a demo.---IT Visionaries is made by the team at Mission.org. Learn more about our media studio and network of podcasts at mission.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Gain unparalleled access to the minds of industry-leading CIOs, CTOs, and CISOs. Enjoy episodes filled with expert insights, inspiring stories, and trend analysis, all brought to you by the people shaping the future of technology. Whether you're an IT professional, aspiring tech leader, or general tech enthusiast, IT Visionaries has something for everyone. Don't miss out on the chance to learn from the best – subscribe now!
Produced by the team at Mission.org and brought to you by Brightspot.
Ireland