First, let’s talk about the basics of SD-WAN and its so-called AI capabilities. SD-WAN technology aims to improve network performance and reliability. It promises to use “AI” to, wait for it, monitor network conditions like latency, jitter, and packet loss.

Groundbreaking stuff, right? Just think: all those things algorithms could already do are now upgraded with the magic sauce of “AI.” But don’t worry, there’s more.

One of the supposedly “intelligent” feats of these SD-WAN solutions is recognizing patterns. They can analyze historical data and realize that bandwidth demand tends to rise, let’s say, around 9 a.m. on a weekday.

So, what does this fancy “AI” do? It reroutes traffic to avoid congestion. Brilliant! Or, you know, the kind of thing anyone with access to a calendar could do.

But wait, it’s not just your average morning rush. These SD-WANs learn. They can even, according to marketing materials, predict when paths will degrade. Of course, this “learning” is just pattern recognition on repeat, but who are we to nitpick?

Next, let’s address the “self-healing” capabilities. These SD-WAN systems don’t just reroute traffic; they can (allegedly) detect anomalies! Think of it as the network raising an eyebrow at odd behavior and saying, “That’s not how things usually go here.”

In practice, this means if there’s a latency spike where it normally wouldn’t occur, the “AI” considers previous patterns and makes a remedial adjustment. It’s like a child learning to avoid touching the stove only after being burned a few times. Revolutionary, right?

But this is where the rubber meets the road: self-healing networks are heavily rule-based. They essentially follow programmed instructions enhanced by pattern-recognition algorithms.

They’re just smart enough to know how to avoid trouble based on previous run-ins. True AI would figure out something entirely novel and respond with independent reasoning, but here we have good old predictable programming at work.

Then there’s the flashy feature of “application-aware” traffic shaping. If your SD-WAN spots traffic from a video conference, it will, shockingly, prioritize it over file backups. Yes, the “AI” can determine that your Zoom meeting might be more important than uploading cat photos to the cloud, giving priority where it’s needed.

But, of course, this is a series of programmed rules reinforced by data from previous traffic patterns—not a sudden spark of true AI reasoning. The SD-WAN isn’t “thinking” so much as it’s saying, “Video equals priority, okay?”

Here’s another “AI” trick worth mentioning: predictive routing. The AI powers behind SD-WAN apparently give it the psychic ability to select the best paths for data in real-time, sometimes even before congestion hits!

Now, you might think, “Wow, that sounds impressive.” Until you realize it’s just an advanced GPS for traffic, using a historical road map and rerouting data if there’s the faintest sign of congestion. Algorithms have been doing this in different contexts for years, and calling it AI is like calling your car’s cruise control autopilot. But hey, a good buzzword sells, doesn’t it?

So, let’s bring it all together. What SD-WAN vendors are really offering isn’t artificial intelligence in the sense of reasoning or autonomy but instead enhanced algorithms augmented by machine learning.

They track patterns, predict probable future events based on past ones, and follow pre-established rules. None of these abilities come close to the creative problem-solving we’d expect from genuine AI. But hey, why spoil the fun? “Enhanced Algorithms” just doesn’t have the same marketing ring, does it?

In the end, maybe we’re all a little smarter after examining what’s behind the label. And hey, next time your network goes down, just remember: it’s probably hard at work, thinking of which algorithm to try next.

Is “AI-powered” SD-WAN truly artificial intelligence?

Hardly. It’s predictive analytics on a caffeine boost, fine-tuned machine learning algorithms wrapped in a blanket of marketing lingo. If anything, SD-WAN is smart—just not that kind of smart.

But as long as people equate “AI” with problem-solving magic, SD-WAN vendors will keep rolling out the “AI-powered” stamp.