In a survey of 5,200 IT, technology and security professionals across 12 global markets, Cisco’s 2026 Data and Privacy Benchmark Study found that 90% of organizations have expanded their privacy programs over the past year and 93% plan to increase investment to support AI initiatives. Notably, 38% of respondents said they spent at least $5 million on privacy in the last 12 months, up from 14% in 2024. The study highlights that 96% of organizations view robust privacy frameworks as essential for unlocking AI agility, while 95% believe strong privacy measures are critical to building customer trust in AI-powered services. Cisco cites these shifts as proof that data governance has moved from a compliance exercise to a strategic enabler of innovation and customer loyalty.

As AI systems increasingly rely on complex, distributed data sets, two-thirds of organizations (65%) report difficulty in efficiently accessing high-quality data, underscoring the urgent need for improved data hygiene, transparency and oversight. While 75% of companies have established dedicated AI governance bodies, only 12% describe those structures as mature. In addition, 81% of respondents face rising demands for data localization, with 85% saying such requirements introduce additional cost, complexity and operational risk. Cisco executives emphasize that organizations must evolve governance models to ensure every automated decision remains explainable and trustworthy in a highly regulated global environment.

In the third quarter, Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. boosted its position in Cisco Systems by 4.3%, acquiring an additional 24,033 shares to bring its total to 588,908. At the same time, a number of smaller funds such as Bare Financial Services, Marquette Asset Management and Lowe Wealth Advisors collectively added nearly 1,500 new shares in the period, reflecting growing confidence among institutional investors. Hedge funds and other large institutions now control approximately 73% of Cisco’s outstanding share base, signaling broad-based support for the company’s long-term growth trajectory.

Evercore ISI analysts upgraded Cisco to Outperform from In Line, raising their target to reflect expectations of accelerating revenue growth and margin expansion in the company’s networking and security segments. The research note cited Cisco’s leadership in secure access service edge (SASE) solutions and the continued momentum of its AI-powered software subscriptions. Evercore now forecasts double-digit year-over-year revenue growth in Cisco’s software and services portfolio by fiscal 2026, driven by rising adoption of cloud-native network management and integrated security platforms.