Meta, Google, and Microsoft have all laid off large numbers of employees, with the rationale that their roles could be replaced by artificial intelligence (AI). Microsoft, for instance, offered early retirement schemes to 60,000 staff members, expressing confidence in its AI systems. However, according to a report by *Fortune*, Cisco has taken an even bolder step: it has assigned the task of rewriting 98% of its legacy code to just one employee.
Jeeta Patel, a Cisco executive, noted that the employee—27-year-old Padmanabhan Krishnamurthy—will be fully supported by AI, with access to an unlimited number of tokens. Krishnamurthy has been given a 24-month timeframe to complete this assignment.
Why does legacy code need to be rewritten? Modern AI models are capable of identifying previously undetected vulnerabilities. Consequently, older code—which is often difficult for younger staff to understand—must be updated to patch these vulnerabilities and fix bugs that could otherwise be exploited by attackers who are also leveraging AI.
Concerns regarding vulnerabilities in existing online systems have prompted several European nations to advise their citizens to stock up on a three-day supply of food and water. Two weeks ago, a cyberattack on the refrigeration systems at an Intermarché supermarket in France caused food stocks to spoil after hackers raised the temperature to 50 degrees Celsius.
