The Cloudcast AI & Cloud Trends for December 2025
38 snips
Jan 4, 2026 
Brandon Whichard, co-host from Software Defined Talk and expert in cloud and AI trends, joins the discussion with Aaron and Brian. They explore the shifting dynamics of college football playoffs as a metaphor for tech disruptions. Brandon analyzes AWS's recent changes in event formats and critiques their AI messaging. They also dive into the implications of NVIDIA's strategies and the emerging bifurcation in AI markets. The trio reflects on Disney's hefty OpenAI investment and hints at challenges leading into 2026.
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AI FOMO Follows A Hype-Cycle Rollercoaster
- Aaron compared the playoff swings to the Gartner hype cycle moving from disillusionment to renewed enthusiasm.
- He warned perceptions flip quickly based on the latest results rather than long-term trends.
AWS Re:Invent Signals Strategic Shift
- The hosts noted AWS re:Invent condensed its cloud announcements and emphasized AI solutions like Nova and Bedrock.
- They saw AWS shifting presentation style and questioned whether AWS has the AI 'players' to execute its vision.
Checklist Announcements, Not Demonstrations
- Brian and Aaron felt the keynote lacked depth and felt like an AI checklist rather than demonstrations of readiness.
- They questioned whether AWS is pivoting to match market expectations or truly leading AI innovation.