John Chambers, former CEO of Cisco and founder of JC2 Ventures, discusses his transformative journey in tech and the pivotal role of AI in shaping the future of work. He emphasizes the need for an AI-first mindset in companies to enhance productivity. Chambers reveals his investment in PeopleReign, a groundbreaking platform aimed at revolutionizing employee service automation. The conversation delves into how AI can improve employee experience and drive innovation, urging businesses to adapt and leverage intelligent systems for a vibrant workplace.

All great teams need to improvise under pressure, but underpinning this should be a set of tried-and-tested playbooks that let you orchestrate and replicate winning strategies. Cisco's John Chambers created a library of living playbooks — covering culture, acquisitions, crises, and more — to astounding effect as he took Cisco from a small tech supplier to the most valuable company on the planet.Read a transcript of this episode: https://mastersofscale.comSubscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersofscale.com/subscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

John Chambers, the former CEO of Cisco and a tech visionary, shares his insights on the evolving world of artificial intelligence and Silicon Valley dynamics. He discusses the necessity of tech booms and how they've shaped the industry. Chambers shares his experience of acquiring 180 companies and reflects on the lessons from the dot-com bust. At 75, he's still active in tech, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and competition. He also expresses confidence in the startup Humane and explains why AI will fundamentally change how we interact with technology.