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Episode 4

John Chambers: Former Cisco CEO on Why AI Will Move 5x Faster Than the Internet

October 10, 2025
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About the Guest

John Chambers

Founder & Chief Executive Officer of JC2 Ventures
John Chambers is the founder and CEO of JC2 Ventures, where he advises and invests in 24 startups globally. He served as CEO of Cisco Systems from 1995 to 2015 and as Executive Chairman until 2017. During his tenure, Cisco grew from $70 million to nearly $50 billion in revenue, completing 180 acquisitions. Chambers is known for his customer-first philosophy, low attrition culture, and early bet on India as a strategic global partner. He is widely regarded as one of the architects of the internet era and a leading voice in AI-driven transformation.

Episode Overview

Former Cisco CEO John Chambers returns to discuss why AI is scaling faster than any tech wave before it, including the internet. Now the CEO of JC2 Ventures, Chambers shares lessons from advising 24 AI-native startups and offers a strategic lens on how leaders, companies, and countries can win or be left behind.

In this episode:

  • AI’s “5x speed” vs. the internet
  • How La Poste retrained 220K workers on AI
  • Why 60–70% of Fortune 500 firms may disappear
  • Chambers’ M&A playbook from 180+ acquisitions
  • The U.S.-India innovation corridor
  • Risk, reinvention, and why CEOs must lead from the front

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“AI will be 3x to 5x the impact and adoption speed of the internet."

- John Chambers, founder & CEO of JC2 Ventures
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