The Everything Feed - All Packet Pushers Pods TNO054: AI Skills for CCIEs
Jan 30, 2026
Jason Belk, senior technical advocate focusing on network automation and practical operator workflows. Kareem Iskander, principal engineer leading technical advocacy and DevNet tooling. Joe Clark, distinguished engineer with decades in network operations and automation. They discuss AI for NetOps: which skills to add, how certifications evolve, agent-assisted troubleshooting, prebuilt AI integrations, and the future role of senior network engineers.
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Expertise Is Fundamentals Plus Adaptability
- Experts must blend fundamentals with adaptability to absorb AI without losing core judgment.
- Joe Clark says responsibility and critical thinking are the human strengths that AI cannot replace.
Learning Paths Provide Needed Focus
- AI is broad and fast-moving, making learning paths valuable for focus.
- Eric Chow praises certification curricula for guiding learners on what to study first.
Keep Core Networking Skills Sharp
- Double down on core networking skills instead of over-relying on AI outputs.
- Kareem Iskander warns AI can make you lazy and stresses validating model outputs with domain knowledge.