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: 
<ul>
 <li>Nvidia launches space computing, rocketing AI Into orbit | <a href="https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/space-computing">Nvidia</a>
</li>
 <li>Nvidia’s AI dominance expands to networking | <a href="https://www.crn.com/news/networking/2026/analysis-nvidia-s-ai-dominance-expands-to-networking-as-it-makes-bigger-cpu-push?itc=refresh">CRN</a>
</li>
 <li>Amid rising pushback, 2025 data center cancellations surge | <a href="https://heatmap.news/politics/data-center-cancellations-2025">Heatmap</a>
</li>
 <li>Billionaires want data centers everywhere, including space | <a href="https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/845453/space-data-centers-astronomers">The Verge</a>
</li>
 <li>How Ciena keeps the internet online | <a href="https://www.theverge.com/24351247/ciena-fiber-optic-internet-subsea-cables-wdm-ai-hyperscale-data-decoder-podcast-interview">Decoder</a>
</li>
 <li>Okta’s CEO is betting big on agent identity | <a href="https://www.theverge.com/podcast/902264/oktas-ceo-is-betting-big-on-ai-agent-identity">Decoder</a>
</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://www.theverge.com/subscribe">Subscribe to The Verge</a> to access the ad-free version of Decoder!
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. 
The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a>

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