Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) is increasingly making a pitch that sounds less like a traditional networking company and more like an AI infrastructure heavyweight arguing that the next phase of the AI race will be won by companies that control their own silicon.

Cisco's Silicon One Push

During Cisco's earnings call, CEO Chuck Robbins delivered one of the clearest statements yet about how rapidly the AI infrastructure market is changing.

"If you don’t have silicon you’re going to struggle to be relevant to the hyperscalers," Robbins said while discussing Cisco's Silicon One platform and recent hyperscaler design wins.

The comment underscores how AI infrastructure is increasingly becoming a vertically integrated business centered around proprietary chips, supply chain control and hyperscaler-scale systems.

Cisco revealed that AI infrastructure orders from hyperscalers reached $1.9 billion during the quarter, while fiscal 2026 AI infrastructure orders are now expected to reach roughly $9 billion, more than four times fiscal 2025 levels.