Cisco grants engineers unlimited AI tokens to accelerate the rewriting and modernization of legacy code systems.

#PadmanabhanKrishnamurthy, a 27-year-old ex-founder acquired via EzDubs, has #unlimited #AItokens to #refactor 98% of #Cisco’s #legacycode in 24 months. Jeetu Patel assigned the task, seeking AI-native hires to challenge the status quo. https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/big-tech/cisco-gives-27-year-old-engineer-unlimited-ai-tokens-to-rewrite-98-percent-of-the-companys-legacy-code-in-24-months-president-plucks-former-startup-founder-telling-him-to-go-nuts?eicker.news #tech #news #ainews

Cisco has taken a bold step in modernizing its technology infrastructure by entrusting a 27-year-old engineer, Padmanabhan Krishnamurthy, with the task of rewriting the company's legacy code using AI. Jeetu Patel, Cisco's president and chief product officer, revealed that he has granted Krishnamurthy unlimited AI tokens to facilitate this ambitious project. Krishnamurthy, who joined Cisco in 2025 after the company acquired his startup EzDubs, was initially 'buried away in the organization' but caught Patel's attention during a casual conversation in the San Francisco office. Patel emphasized that the young engineer's approach to refactoring code with a two-person team, leveraging AI, was a game-changer for the company. The goal is to rewrite 98% of Cisco's legacy code within 24 months, a project that requires significant innovation and strategic thinking. Patel also highlighted his team's composition, which includes one-third experienced operators, one-third external market thinkers, and one-third entrepreneurial founders and AI-native engineers. This diverse mix, he believes, creates a synergistic environment where different perspectives drive innovation. The initiative reflects Cisco's commitment to embracing AI as a core component of its development strategy, moving away from traditional methods that rely on manual code refactoring. By empowering young talent with AI tools, Cisco aims to accelerate its technological evolution while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and disruption. The company is actively seeking more young hires who can challenge the status quo and bring fresh perspectives to the table, signaling a shift in how tech giants approach talent acquisition and development in the AI era. This approach not only addresses the need for modernizing outdated systems but also positions Cisco to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market where AI is becoming increasingly integral to business operations.

Cisco has taken a bold step in modernizing its technology infrastructure by entrusting a 27-year-old engineer, Padmanabhan Krishnamurthy, with the task of rewriting the company's legacy code using AI. Jeetu Patel, Cisco's president and chief product officer, revealed that he has granted Krishnamurthy unlimited AI tokens to facilitate this ambitious project. Krishnamurthy, who joined Cisco in 2025 after the company acquired his startup EzDubs, was initially 'buried away in the organization' but caught Patel's attention during a casual conversation in the San Francisco office. Patel emphasized that the young engineer's approach to refactoring code with a two-person team, leveraging AI, was a game-changer for the company. The goal is to rewrite 98% of Cisco's legacy code within 24 months, a project that requires significant innovation and strategic thinking. Patel also highlighted his team's composition, which includes one-third experienced operators, one-third external market thinkers, and one-third entrepreneurial founders and AI-native engineers. This diverse mix, he believes, creates a synergistic environment where different perspectives drive innovation. The initiative reflects Cisco's commitment to embracing AI as a core component of its development strategy, moving away from traditional methods that rely on manual code refactoring. By empowering young talent with AI tools, Cisco aims to accelerate its technological evolution while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and disruption. The company is actively seeking more young hires who can challenge the status quo and bring fresh perspectives to the table, signaling a shift in how tech giants approach talent acquisition and development in the AI era. This approach not only addresses the need for modernizing outdated systems but also positions Cisco to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market where AI is becoming increasingly integral to business operations.

Learn how OpenAI is improving ChatGPT across low-resource programming languages, with new evaluations for software engineering, SQLite, and COBOL migration.