Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins wants data centers in space

My guest today is Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins. Cisco is one of those big companies that everyone has heard of but most of us don’t have to interact with very much; they’re not really a consumer brand. But without Cisco's actual routers and switches and silicon — and the software to make those things work — there’s no internet, no cloud, and no AI.

But a data center is a really unpleasant neighbor to have, and there’s robust opposition to new data center builds all over the country. So I had to start by asking what feels, strangely, like one of the most urgent questions of the moment: Should we build data centers in space?

Links:

Nvidia launches space computing, rocketing AI Into orbit | Nvidia

Nvidia’s AI dominance expands to networking | CRN

Amid rising pushback, 2025 data center cancellations surge | Heatmap

Billionaires want data centers everywhere, including space | The Verge

How Ciena keeps the internet online | Decoder

Okta’s CEO is betting big on agent identity | Decoder

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Credits:

Decoder is a production of The Verge and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Decoder is produced by Kate Cox and Nick Statt and edited by Ursa Wright. Our editorial director is Kevin McShane.

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