Cloud Wars Live with Bob Evans

In today's Cloud Wars Minute, I share Larry Ellison’s bold vision of the AI market as the biggest in history — and how Oracle plans to lead it.Highlights00:14 — Well, this is my final report here from Oracle AI World in Las Vegas. At the Financial Analyst Meeting yesterday, Oracle unveiled some truly extraordinary numbers. It said that by fiscal year 2030, its revenue is going to grow from $57 billion, about a 4x increase over that period. The strategy it has for that is "AI Everywhere."01:24 — Here are the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) growth numbers: FY25 (just completed as of May 31): $10 billion. FY26: $15 billion. FY27: $34 billion. FY28: $77 billion. FY29: $129 billion. FY30: $166 billion. That growth, plus its applications business and its traditional business totals up to the $225 billion goal.03:39 — It's also got the database business. Powered by the AI revolution and demand for the AI database 26AI, it believes its database business could reach $20 billion by FY30. Larry Ellison even said it’s possible that the multi-cloud portion could contribute almost that much during this time. It’s a mix of technology, strategy, timing, hard work, and talent that’s brought Oracle to this point.04:19 — Clay Magouyrk, one of the two new CEOs at Oracle, said Oracle now has 700 AI infrastructure customers and that it’s growing extremely rapidly. “I believe the average deal size for those customers is $67 million,” he said. Visit Cloud Wars for more.

 AI opportunities: Despite the excitement around AI, Kaupp emphasizes the importance of understanding the technology before fully integrating it into workflows. He advocates for “literacy before agency" to understand the true impacts of what AI "can unlock."Transformation with AI: Kaupp describes the process of transforming a contract approval process using AI tools, highlighting the importance of identifying inefficiencies and becoming “client zero” for automation. He poses a question relating to assisting customers with AI adoption: “If I can't identify 'stupid' things that we're living with and transforming them, how am I going to get clients to do that?”Internal impacts: Microsoft's release of all Microsoft Learn content as an MCP server has led to an important internal transformation for ArcherPoint by Cherry Bekaert, enabling consultants and developers to use AI-powered search instead of traditional engines to quickly find relevant functionality and updates. This approach has also been applied to the organization's own codebase, allowing access to previous customer implementations.Big trends for Business Central: Across all Microsoft products, and in the case of Business Central, Kaupp shares that clients are excited about the potential of AI agents, but many are still experimenting without clear use cases. As a result, he notes, consultants often find themselves reversing client-built solutions to make them production-ready.ArcherPoint by Cherry Bekaert at Summit NA: Kaupp and the team from ArcherPoint by Cherry Bekaert will be at Community Summit NA 2025, and you can connect with the team at their Booth #1007. Kaupp will also co-lead a session on Wednesday, October 22, "Leading Through Change: Harnessing Communication and Resilience." He encourages attendees to stop by the booth and chat with him on all things AI. "I'm there to learn or to guide... to me, that is the benefit of the community. It's the benefit of why we're all there," he notes.Contributors: John Siefert, Greg KauppSearch keywords:  No transcript Can be scheduled for 9:00 AM ET on 10/17.  Visit Cloud Wars for more.

In today’s Cloud Wars Minute, I dive into Oracle’s bold AI-driven transformation and its stunning forecast to reach $225 billion in annual revenue by 2030, powered by explosive OCI and multi-cloud growth.Highlights00:12 — As we wrap things up here at Oracle AI world, we had the financial analyst meeting. Oracle's Principal Financial Officer Doug Kehring revealed that Oracle has raised its revenue projections again for the future, and says that they will hit the astonishing total of $225 billion in total revenue for fiscal year 30.00:52 — This was one of the most dynamic, interesting Oracle events I've ever been to. So when I talk about them being on fire, it's powered by their hyper growth OCI business. But it goes beyond that to what they're doing across the board and the AI Revolution really kicking in. It's why Larry Ellison pivoted the entire company to integrate AI in everything that they do.01:55 — The company's two new CEOs, Clay Magouyrk and Mike Sicilia, along with Larry Ellison, repeated throughout the event: "There's no limitation on us about demand. We have more demand by far than we can handle. We are supply-constrained. And they revealed a lot of plans about all the things Oracle is doing to be able to overcome that capacity constraint."02:21 — So, it is not just OpenAI. They talked about how the RPO, which when they released their numbers a few weeks ago, that is for the quarter ending August 31, their RPO was $455 billion in just the six or seven weeks since that quarter ended, that RPO is now over $500 billion. So again, it was not just the big deal with OpenAI.04:25 — We'll have more coming up next week. I'll go into more detail about this. But part of what was so interesting at this financial analyst meeting today, Larry Ellison talked said: "What about in the areas of like plant genomes?" Larry Ellison wove together the ideas of how this new Oracle Database along with the Oracle AI Data Platform is going to make that possible. Visit Cloud Wars for more.

Magnus Perri of elevaite365 Test Automation, leads a company at the forefront of AI-driven test automation for Microsoft Dynamics 365. With decades of hands-on experience in ERP implementations, he and his team built elevaite365 to solve the challenges of constant change, complexity, and testing inefficiencies in enterprise software. In this episode, Magnus joins John Siefert to define a new category, AI-powered test automation, and explore how it’s transforming implementation success, business agility, and the future of cloud ERP systems.Reimagining ERP with AIThe Big Themes:AI Test Automation Is a New Software Category: AI test automation not just a better version of traditional testing, it’s an entirely new approach. With frequent updates, integrations, and customizations, ERP systems outgrow static methods. Platforms like elevaite365 Test Automation define a future where testing is adaptive, autonomous, and business-aligned. This shift changes how organizations approach quality assurance, transforming it from a back-end task into a front-line innovation enabler.AI Testing Drives Tangible Business Outcomes: The shift to AI-powered QA isn’t just a technical improvement—it delivers real business value. Perri and Siefert explore outcomes like faster go-lives, lower project costs, reduced QA workload, and quicker time-to-value. These results matter to senior executives, who face mounting pressure to drive both innovation and efficiency. Elevaite365 Test Automation's platform supports these goals by automating repetitive tasks, reducing errors, and scaling effortlessly. What used to be a cost center (testing) is now a growth lever.AI Test Automation Builds Ecosystem-Wide Agility: AI testing isn’t just about IT: It transforms the entire enterprise ecosystem. When testing improves, so does everything connected to it: systems integration, customer experience, compliance, internal workflows, and delivery speed. The agility gained through elevaite365 Test Automation extends beyond QA teams. It empowers cross-functional teams to move faster and take more calculated risks.The Big Quote: “What truly sets elevaite365 Test Automation apart isn’t just that it’s faster or more robust… it’s that we eliminate the typical roadblocks—there are no limits on users, scripts, or environments." Visit Cloud Wars for more.

In today's Cloud Wars Minute, I share insights from Chris Pope on how automation can boost morale, reduce costs, and accelerate delivery.Highlights00:02 — Today's episode is brought to you by AutomatePro, a ServiceNow partner. They want to talk about a new product they have that is helping to change the software development lifecycle. AutomatePro Chief Product Officer Chris Pope recently spoke with my colleague Kieron Allen, and I wanted to highlight some of the key parts of that.00:43 — They said they try to automate some of this drudgery and the mundane work. That’s in areas like testing, documentation. It’s not stuff that talented developers want to be doing — though it’s a central part of the process. So when AutomatePro steps in and says, “Hey, we can take care of that for you,” it allows those highly skilled developers to move on to more meaningful work.01:18 — The benefits of what AutomatePro does in working with the ServiceNow platform: they accelerate the process, they boost employee morale — which is so important today — and especially this ability to lower cost. It was a key point that Chris made a number of times in the conversation with Kieron: AutomatePro helps to augment humans, not replace them.02:10 — So, he said, "We meet people where they're already working." He said that could be in a native state, through a portal, or through any other part of the process. Ultimately, what that allows is — he said, “Wherever the developers are working, we’re there — where the developer already is and is already working.”03:06 — This reflects the powerful ecosystem that ServiceNow has been intent on building for the last several years. So we see these Cloud Wars Top 10 companies, like ServiceNow, have an enormous range of capability. But, as each frequently says, “We can't do everything,” and we're counting on partners like AutomatePro to step in and be able to add significant value.03:34 — One: it lowers costs. Two: it accelerates software development. Three: it improves morale. And it does so while augmenting what humans do — rather than replacing humans. Very interesting.Check out the full interview between Kieron Allen and Chris Pope. Visit Cloud Wars for more.

Kieron Allen speaks with Chris Pope, Chief Product Officer at AutomatePro, in an in-depth discussion that is part of a broader series of podcasts, articles, and reports on ServiceNow’s evolving ecosystem. They explore how intelligent automation and agentic AI are reshaping DevOps and quality assurance. The conversation also highlights how AutomatePro’s built-on approach enhances developer productivity, reduces risk, and ensures security, all within the ServiceNow environment.AutomatePro’s AI EdgeThe Big ThemesAutomatePro’s Core Mission: AutomatePro focuses on solving one of the most time-consuming parts of software delivery: testing and documentation. Pope explains that their goal isn't to replace humans but to augment their efforts through intelligent automation. By embedding deeply within the ServiceNow platform, AutomatePro allows developers and platform owners to automate repetitive tasks early in the development cycle, ensuring higher-quality releases and faster deployment.Human-AI Collaboration Wins: The myth of AI replacing people is outdated. Pope reframes the conversation: it’s not about replacement, it’s about enablement. The real winners will be those who know how to use AI effectively. Today’s Copilots are context-aware, learning from human behavior and adapting to different personas — whether it's a developer, analyst, or HR owner. Prompt engineering is emerging as a vital skill, and the better the prompt, the better the AI-driven output.DevOps Innovation Without Compromise: AutomatePro and ServiceNow are reshaping DevOps by making speed and quality compatible. Historically, faster releases meant riskier ones. With AutomatePro’s intelligent testing automation, that tradeoff no longer exists. Frequent, smaller releases — the “fixed forward” model — are now safer thanks to early automation, embedded security, and contextual AI. Pope argues that platform owners and developers are the new heroes in enterprise IT, and equipping them with Copilots, intelligent workflows, and instant feedback loops unlocks untapped value.The Big Quote: "You're not going to be replaced by AI per se, you're going to be replaced by someone that knows how to use AI effectively."More from ServiceNow and AutomatePro:Follow AutomatePro on LinkedIn or learn more about ServiceNow and intelligent automation. Visit Cloud Wars for more.

Key TakeawaysOverview: Fisher gives an overview of his role as Chief Information Officer at BouMatic, all within the context of the dairy equipment industry that’s evolving toward larger, consolidated operations. BouMatic is the "third largest dairy equipment manufacturer in the world," and he gives context on the difference in marketplaces.AI: The rapid rollout of copilots and the pace of AI innovation have created a constant need to catch up on functionality, licensing, and deployment strategies, explains Fisher, prompting teams to shift from intended roadmaps to more flexible frameworks. As Fisher describes, “We're in a bit of a catch-up game all the time... not just with AI in general, but even in its deployment.”Addressing deployment challenges: Deploying AI has revealed long-standing data challenges, which Fisher compares to uncovering a “junk drawer” of neglected information. To address this, the BouMatic team uses sandbox environments for testing and follows a "five-pillar approach." Two of these pillars focus on user upskilling and cultural change, highlighting successful deployment through use cases, structured rollout plans, and ongoing support to ensure ROI.AI experimentation: When exploring AI, sandbox environments allow teams to experiment safely and securely, learn from both successes and failures, and prepare for production with a user-focused, iterative approach, notes Fisher.Contributors: John Siefert, Michael Fisher  Visit Cloud Wars for more.

In today's Cloud Wars Minute, I report live from Oracle AI World, where speed and innovation are front and center.Highlights00:13 — Here at Oracle AI World in Las Vegas, you can see there's lots going on. It's almost like the new tagline for Oracle — AI changes everything. Oracle is one of the very few companies — maybe the only one — that goes end-to-end: from cloud infrastructure, AI infrastructure, AI inferencing, databases, applications, industry-specific solutions, analytics, and more.01:00 — Some of the big ways it's doing this include: the new AI Database 26. There’s the new AI data platform it's launched. In OCI, it's launched the ZetaScale Cluster 10 for AI. There are AI-powered features now embedded in its Fusion Applications. They introduced many new features for Agent Studio and also the Agent Marketplace.02:00 — There’s much more going on at this show. I’ve been to a lot of Oracle events, and I think this one is by far the most ambitious, the most sweeping, and really, in a way, the most innovative in terms of product launches. Larry Ellison is strongly behind the notion that AI changes everything. That’s even reflected in the name change. For several years, it was CloudWorld — now it’s AI World.02:58 — The customers featured here say speed is an advantage. First-mover possibilities. They know they’ve got to move on these things. They can’t wait, because companies that get an early jump on AI are going to have a huge advantage. Visit Cloud Wars for more.

In today's Cloud Wars Minute, sponsored by CLOUDVICE, I explore how Oracle’s new CEOs, Mike Sicilia and Clay Magouyrk, are steering the company deeper into the AI revolutionHighlights00:00 — Today’s episode is brought to you by CloudVice, winner of the 2025 Oracle North America Technology and Cloud AI Innovation Partner Award. “We’re honored to receive the 2025 Oracle North America Technology & Cloud AI Innovation Partner Award, a recognition that underscores CLOUDVICE’s unwavering commitment to advancing enterprise AI on Oracle Cloud,” said Jaison Correya, CEO of CLOUDVICE. “This achievement reflects the breakthrough projects and real-world transformations we’ve delivered with Oracle — and at Oracle AI World 2025, we took that vision even further by unveiling CORX, our next-generation platform where AI thinks, Cloud scales, Blockchain verifies, and Robotics acts. It represents the next leap in intelligent automation and the future of real-world autonomy."00:25 — So, we’re beginning to hear the strategies Oracle’s two new CEOs are taking. That’s Mike Sicilia and Clay Magouyrk. It’s clear they think that Oracle’s supremacy in data and infrastructure is going to make them successful in AI — to the point that their main focus is: how do we drive great customer outcomes using AI services?01:20 — And Oracle’s plan, which they’ve been talking about a little bit and will unveil this week in much more detail, is that while LLMs currently work with public internet data, they’re going to make available — very securely, privately, and with all requisite compliance — enterprise data that also can be accessed by those LLMs.02:21 — Clay Magouyrk talked a bit about the work Oracle has done to reach the point where its infrastructure is seen as superior. Magouyrk said that inside Oracle, the idea came up — “What if we shrunk the cloud down to a very tiny size? Could we get better performance, and could we give more deployment options to customers?” — it turned out that was exactly the case.03:28 — This week at Oracle AI World, they’re going to introduce a new cloud bundle that has three racks — from 40 to three. Also, the stunning multicloud agreements that Oracle has reached with other hyperscalers — Microsoft, Google Cloud, and AWS — mean that those three competitors of Oracle sell the Oracle Database to their customers through their own clouds.04:21 — Because for all the things Oracle has done in its first 48 or 49 years, the next five years, triggered by all these changes we’ve just described, are going to be very different. Sicilia said, “One of the things you can count on as we move forward into those next five years is that we are currently, at Oracle, taking a very different approach.” Visit Cloud Wars for more.

In this special Cloud Wars interview, Oracle Executive Vice President for Applications Development Steve Miranda joins Bob Evans to discuss how Oracle’s transformation from CloudWorld to AI World signals a seismic leap in enterprise technology. Miranda shares how Oracle has delivered more than 600 agents, launched the Agent Studio and Marketplace, and unified AI capabilities across its Fusion Applications and industry verticals. The result: a powerful convergence of data, intelligence, and automation driving the next wave of business transformation.AI-driven EnterpriseThe Big Themes:Oracle’s Next Seismic Shift: Oracle’s renaming of CloudWorld to AI World isn’t a branding exercise, it’s a declaration. Just as “OpenWorld” and “CloudWorld” reflected past technology revolutions, “AI World” marks Oracle’s belief that AI represents a shift of even greater magnitude. Miranda describes this era as one where automation and intelligence redefine enterprise operations. Oracle’s applications division is now delivering hundreds of AI-driven agents and features at unprecedented speed.Agents Everywhere: In just two years, Oracle has gone from announcing 50 generative AI features to delivering over 600 agents across its Fusion and vertical applications. These agents automate tasks, surface insights, and optimize processes, often eliminating manual decision-making entirely. Oracle’s rapid release cadence (quarterly updates backed by Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI)) means customers constantly inherit new capabilities without disruption.OCI, the Engine: Oracle’s leadership in hosting and training large language models within Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) gives its applications a built-in edge. Customers automatically benefit from the latest AI tools, performance improvements, and model upgrades without manual migration. OCI’s second-generation architecture, featuring Exadata, cloud-native identity, and networking, delivers both reliability and continuous innovation.The Big Quote: “For many of our customers, it's great timing to have AI delivery, because they've gone live. They've gone through multiple phases. They're on the cloud. They're used to getting quarterly updates. Now, this is a big thing, but they're used to that people part of the transformation." Visit Cloud Wars for more.