Cloud Wars Live with Bob Evans

 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.

O of elevaite365, 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 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’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 extends beyond QA teams. It empowers cross-functional teams to move faster and take more calculated risks.The Big Quote: “What truly sets elevaite365 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.

Company background: "HSO is the second largest Microsoft partner in the globe," Holwagner reports. It focuses on industries including professional services, manufacturing, finance, and the public sector. HSO continues to grow not only with its traditional ERP services but also around cloud and AI services. "The mission here is really to improve our clients' business performance with the results of Microsoft solutions."AI's market impact: "It's definitely a transformation happening faster than anything I've seen before," Holwagner says. While there's already been significant advancements with AI, it's still only the beginning of what has yet to be built out and understood. He breaks down AI across four different roles:At the top level, boards and owners are pushing for areas of efficiency to stay competitive, reimagining the business model using AI.The next level is the CTO or an IT manager; they have efficiency demands, but they're also primarily thinking about how to contain information and data in a security model.The business leaders or department heads are being tasked to think about efficiency using AI but they're mostly busy keeping their engine going. They need tools that show them where to get ROI.The last level is HR, which might be considering where AI is filling in for various jobs.Perspectives for applying AI: HSO looks from a responsibility perspective in three different areas. First, it aims to educate customers on what's possible while also focusing on what's doable. Second is protection, which involves having control over your domain information. The third area is thinking about use cases for specific AI components.Organizational transformation: With the introduction of AI, there's a transformation happening across organizations in a variety of industries. AI has been thought of as a technical element when it needs to be included in functional conversation, especially for consulting businesses, Holwagner notes. Leaders and managers must understand the concepts of weaving in AI to give it value. AI transformation will likely lead to a "healthy reduction in certain areas" in the workforce, but "the transformation of what people are going to do in the organization is going to change." It will be more business logic transformation consulting and fewer hands-on the keyboard-related tasks, Holwagner shares.Summit NA: HSO will be attending Community Summit North America. You can connect with HSO at booth #209. The HSO team will be presenting several sessions throughout the event as well, including:The Latest D365 AI Agents and Features to Automate Your Supply Chain on Monday, October 20thDelivering a Scalable, Secure Data & AI Platform on Monday, October 20th3 Hidden Risks of AI in the Enterprise—and How to Manage Them Responsibly on Tuesday, October 21stSolving Customer Master Data Challenges for a 360° View in Dynamics 365 CE (CRM) and F/SCM (FO) on Wednesday, October 22nd Visit Cloud Wars for more.

In this episode of the Cloud Wars Minute, sponsored by CLOUDVICE, I review the moves of Larry Ellison and Oracle over the past few years in anticipation of what's to come at Oracle AI World 2025.Highlights00:15 — CLOUDVICE is the winner of the 2025 Oracle North America Technology & 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.” Learn more about CLOUDVICE at Oracle AI World 2025 here: CLOUDVICE to Showcase its AI Orchestration and Oracle Cloud Expertise at Oracle AI World 2025.00:26 — This week, at AI World, it will be interesting to see what Oracle and Larry Ellison cook up. The company has two new CEOs, Mike Sicilia and Clay Magouyrk, as Safra Catz has moved over to the role of Executive Vice Chairman. It has lots of new technology, go-to-market plans, partnerships, approaches, strengths, and capabilities.01:00 — Ellison is now in his 49th year of leading Oracle and 82nd year on Earth — and he has been remarkable. His rate of innovation and constructive disruption has only increased this year. And that's what leads me to think that this year, there could be something pretty interesting brewing.01:32 — Over the past couple of years, he has taken on hyperscalers and cloud infrastructure against three of the biggest, most powerful, wealthiest, and most influential companies: Microsoft, Google, and Amazon. And Oracle has been extremely successful at it. He also got these competitors to agree to sell the Oracle database on their clouds to their customers.02:53 — Ellison even wooed OpenAI into a massive, strategic partnership that includes a $300 billion deal to supply infrastructure and AI inference and training. I believe this is the largest business deal ever struck. There might be others, please let me know. But that's what I think is up at the top.03:50 — Reflecting on the arc of what Ellison has done over the last few years, shaking up Oracle and the industry, it makes one think about what he might do at AI World this year. I suggest expecting the unexpected, as he's not one to let things sit still with the rapidly advancing AI Revolution. Visit Cloud Wars for more.

Brad Haupt, Vice President of Supply Chain at Monument Health, joins Bob Evans at Workday Rising to discuss how the health system is modernizing operations through Workday’s unified platform. He shares how consolidating 17 systems into Workday created a single source of truth for finance, HR, and supply chain data. By pairing data intelligence with a culture of innovation, Monument Health is transforming supply chain management from a behind-the-scenes function into a strategic driver of better healthcare experiences.AI and the New Healthcare Supply ChainThe Big Themes:Monument Health’s Unique Challenges and Resilience: Located in remote western South Dakota, Monument Health faces the dual challenges of geographic isolation and sudden population surges during events like the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Haupt described how this environment demands both meticulous planning and quick adaptability. The annual influx of visitors, tripling the local population, acts as a stress test for supply chain agility. These experiences have honed the team’s crisis management skills.Linking Supply Chain Excellence to Patient Outcomes: Perhaps the most profound shift at Monument Health is redefining supply chain success through the “value equation”: patient, physician, and caregiver experiences and outcomes divided by cost. Haupt rejects the traditional view of supply chain as purely cost-focused. Sometimes the higher-cost item delivers greater patient value, improving safety or recovery time. By connecting financial, supply, and clinical data, Workday allows leaders to quantify this relationship.AI and Automation Redefining Contract Management: Haupt discussed Workday’s integration of Evisort for contract lifecycle management as a game changer. Currently, supply contracts can take eight to twenty-four hours of total work spread over weeks. With AI-assisted redlining and learning-based automation, the process could be reduced to seconds. The system will eventually learn from user edits, producing increasingly personalized and accurate suggestions. Haupt sees this as freeing supply chain professionals from time-consuming legal reviews to focus on high-value work.The Big Quote: “I think we're monitoring over 2,000 items that are back-ordered or shipping delays coming from overseas, or manufactured delays. So, we have to constantly communicate with the physician so they don't go into a procedure and think, I've got it all planned out in my brain, and then they say, 'Hand me a 12 French ...,' and they don't have one, and they've got to change their whole treatment plan. So, that communication is really key. Workday has helped us really automate some of that."More from Brad Haupt and Workday:Connect with Brad on LinkedIn or learn more about Workday and healthcare. Visit Cloud Wars for more.

In today's Cloud Wars Minute, I look at how Google Cloud is helping businesses create their futures — not just optimize their past — through Gemini Enterprise.Highlights00:14 — Google Cloud really stepped out here with the launch of Gemini Enterprise, and I would like to share with you eight reasons why I feel that the launch of Gemini Enterprise now makes Google Cloud the number one player in the world for AI for business. So first, I think the end-to-end capabilities that are resident within the Gemini AI platform are essential for customers01:16 — It's a little hard to know where to start and really hard to figure out: How do I put together the right mix of piece solutions from lots of different vendors? Now, Gemini Enterprise here offers the full set of end-to-end capabilities Two: While Gemini Enterprise does offer all the pieces, it also gives customers complete choice to use third-party solutions.02:34 — Flexible pricing: There's Google Enterprise, which is $30 per user per month. And then there's Google Business, that’s $21 per user per month. It's got massive data access, right? So the need to ensure that these tools have access to the right data in a secure and fully integrated fashion is key. It's got that. The whole notion of governance and security.03:37 — The ecosystem that's been built out, that's been a huge part of Google Cloud's success. And it ties in with the openness for customers, giving lots and lots of different choices here — of who, of what Gemini Enterprise works with. And then a little bit of a not-so-secret secret here: the Delta team within Google Cloud Consulting and Professional Services.04:24 — What the most successful tech companies today are doing is helping companies create their futures, not just perfect what they've done in the past. And this is a long-standing thought here that Kurian has made. I've talked about this a number of times, and it goes back to six years ago when he took over as CEO of Google Cloud. Visit Cloud Wars for more.

In today's Cloud Wars Minute, I look at why Microsoft thinks avatars will boost AI voice adoption.Highlights00:11 — Microsoft has introduced an experimental Portraits feature in Copilot Labs in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada. The feature offers Copilot users a choice of 40 cartoon-esque human avatars. Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman said "You can now talk to a Copilot portrait in real time . . ."01:02 — This feature not only adds a personal touch to conversations but also makes them more engaging and ultimately relatable. Now, this is an important step for Copilot as Microsoft continues to promote voice interactions. While using Copilot features through text prompts has become increasingly popular, voice control remains a secondary player in the market.01:33 — However, the opportunities for more widespread voice usage are immense for Microsoft. The more users ask quick and simple questions, the more the technology will be utilized, leading to increased adoption. And the fact that you can have these interactions through voice as opposed to text will definitely speed up this adoption process. Visit Cloud Wars for more.

Evan Goldberg, Founder and Executive Vice President at Oracle NetSuite, sits down with Bob Evans for a conversation about the company’s next chapter: NetSuite Next. He describes how AI will make business management simpler and more intuitive, allowing users to automate tasks, ask natural-language questions, and customize their systems with ease. Goldberg shares his vision of NetSuite evolving from a cloud pioneer into an AI-first platform built to power the next generation of enterprise growth.Where ERP Thinks BackThe Big Themes:NetSuite Next as a Hands-On AI Partner: NetSuite Next isn’t just layering AI on top of old systems, it’s embedding intelligence directly into the platform. Instead of hunting through menus, users can say, “Analyze sales for the past six months,” and get an instant, interactive response. The idea is to move from manual navigation to guided collaboration. This shift redefines usability for ERP.Customization and Agentic Flexibility: NetSuite Next extends Oracle’s agentic AI vision by letting businesses build custom AI agents that automate unique internal workflows. Goldberg highlights three pillars of NetSuite: the suite’s breadth, its deep industry specialization, and its adaptability to each business’s unique needs. The AI doesn’t erase distinct business models; it amplifies them.Strength in Oracle’s Ecosystem: As part of Oracle, NetSuite now sits atop one of the world’s most advanced technology stacks. Goldberg credits Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), the unified data model, and the Redwood design system as key differentiators against rivals. He emphasizes collaboration with Oracle Fusion, OCI, and the database teams as a unique advantage.The Big Quote: “You don’t have to dig through lots of menus and understand all of the analytics capabilities… it will be able to quickly bring up an analysis for you, and then you can converse in natural language to hone in on the things that you think are most important."More from Evan Goldberg:Connect with Evan on LinkedIn or learn more about Oracle NetSuite and AI. Visit Cloud Wars for more.

In today's Cloud Wars Minute, I explore how SAP is finally delivering on its intelligent enterprise vision through AI, data, and role-based agents.Highlights00:14 — I’ve spent the last couple of days at SAP Connect, and I think one of the key things that came out of was this: SAP can now legitimately be called a data company. But the key now is that it's fusing data (data it's gathered across its applications for half a century, some of the richest enterprise data stores in the world) with AI.01:28 — At the heart is its Business Data Cloud. Executive Board Member and Head of Products and Engineering, Muhammad Alam, said the Business Data Cloud is one of the fastest-growing products SAP has had, at least in recent years. He also noted that a huge percentage of SAP customers are already using the Data Cloud, pulling together applications, agents, and assistants.02:14 — SAP's not trying to engage in an “arms race” over who has more agents. Instead, it wants to make it incredibly easy for customers to use SAP’s agents—or build their own. As the assistant gets to know a user’s decision-making style, it will begin to take more initiative. SAP also made it clear that its a strong future for applications—but only if they’re supercharged by agents.03:28 — We’ve heard a lot, both from SAP and other companies about the intelligent enterprise. But what SAP did at this Connect event was very specifically show that this isn’t just deep tech. It’s about business value—for finance, ERP, HR, procurement, supply chain, and more.04:17 — Many of SAP’s acquisitions from 10–12 years ago are finally harmonized. That’s why I believe the combined power of SAP’s data, applications, and AI is significant—but at the heart of it is the Business Data Cloud. As we move deeper into the AI revolution, it’s important to recognize SAP can now say: “Yes, we are a data company. And we are also an applications and AI company.” Visit Cloud Wars for more.

In today's Cloud Wars Minute, I discuss Microsoft’s smart strategy to integrate agentic AI into everyday consumer platforms starting with gaming.Highlights00:12 — Microsoft is rolling out its Gaming Copilot to Windows PCs and Xbox on mobile, following a previous soft launch to Xbox Insiders. Gaming Copilot provides recommendations in-game help, and further insights.00:50 — Particularly interesting is the voice mode. This enables users to ask questions to Copilot using natural language. For example, a gamer might want to inquire about an in-game strategy or request a summary of what's happening on the screen — in real time. Once again, Microsoft is demonstrating its ability to normalize agentic AI by bringing Copilot to wider audiences.01:25 — As the world's largest consumer software provider, Microsoft is a household name. In my opinion, agentic AI is not yet as widely recognized. Introducing Copilot as a branded Gaming Copilot in the gaming space — and delivering it directly to mobile — is a smart strategy by Microsoft. Visit Cloud Wars for more.

In today's Cloud Wars Minute, I reflect on Nadella’s legacy and the parallels to other tech icons like Larry Ellison and Bill Gates.Highlights00:13 — Well, Microsoft seems to be setting out to ensure that it is creating the new rules for its own future. Its CEO, Satya Nadella, has picked a successor, and this is going to allow Nadella to focus the vast majority of his time on product development, product engineering, architecture, advanced technology, and more. So, big changes are coming at Microsoft.01:23 — Nadella has spent the last 12 years as CEO, during which time Microsoft has achieved just phenomenal results. It now has a market cap approaching $4 trillion, rivaling NVIDIA. Nadella has totally remade the company. It was a bit of a mess when he took over in 2014. Now, one blemish I would say on Nadella's record is the issue of security.02:35 — Nadella has named Judson Althoff, the head of sales for Microsoft for the last nine years, overseeing customers and partners, as CEO of the commercial business. His new role will involve almost every part of the organization, except product development and engineering. Marketing and operations report to Althoff. Operations report to Althoff.03:02 — What Nadella wants Althoff to do is use this new role to get all parts of the company working in concert — very smoothly and fluidly. They said Microsoft's customers are moving faster than ever before, and this is going to require Microsoft itself to move faster than it ever has.03:55 — Very few people could ever understand what it’s like to be in that role at a company of that size and that influence and say “You know, it’s time for a new adventure for me and a new way of operating for the company.” Bill Gates, in 2000, he said, “I just want to be Chairman, and I’ll be Chief Software Architect.” Hats off to Satya Nadella. Visit Cloud Wars for more.

In today's Cloud Wars Minute, I explain how Palantir’s unique model and alignment with AI trends earned it a spot in the Top 10.Highlights00:14 — Well, one company that has hammered its way into the Cloud Wars Top 10 is Palantir. With regret, I have to say farewell to Snowflake. So, I've noted here at the top a couple of numbers: 48% revenue growth for Palantir in its recent fiscal Q2. That pushed its revenue to just over $1 billion, which gives them a $4 billion annualized run rate.01:39 — But I think the reason that's so high is there's an alignment between the demands that businesses have right now—to get their data in order, get their processes in order, their workflows, put things together seamlessly, to be able to take full advantage of what they're doing with AI. That matches up with the unique software capabilities, architecture, and business model Palantir has.02:26 — Palantir takes those desired business outcomes and engineer backwards, using its very powerful but flexible software to determine the right approach. I've got a detailed interview with Chad Walquist, an executive at Palantir. Chad said is that they’ve got about 100 salespeople. He said, “You know, maybe, if we really do a rigorous count, maybe it’s 150, but it’s not more than that.”03:17 — Palantir defies the notion of being plugged into any of the old-fashioned and somewhat tired industry analyst boxes. I think more of the big software companies are moving in that direction — doing what customers want and need, rather than trying to fit into some narrowly defined boxes that industry analysts have cooked up.04:42 — Chad's title at Palantir is Architect. He's got an illustrious background as an enterprise architect, but I think, as you'll see in this video, he's also the person at Palantir who handles a lot of product marketing and marketing overall, a lot of their strategy, and so forth. It's a very different sort of company, and Chad does a fantastic job of describing what those differences are. Visit Cloud Wars for more.

Bonnie Tinder is the founder and CEO of Raven Intelligence, an independent B2B peer review site that amplifies the voice of the customer. She focuses on software customers, consulting partners, and software vendors and helps identify the best partners for their needs. In this episode, Tinder joins Bob Evans to break down what’s next for Oracle and SAP, exploring AI-native applications, agent ecosystems, and data openness, while offering sharp, practical insights into how enterprises can extract real value from AI innovation.Episode 55 | Oracle, SAP, and the AI ShiftThe Big Themes:Oracle’s Upcoming AI Agent Marketplace: One of Oracle’s most anticipated announcements is the launch of an AI Agent Marketplace. This platform will act like an app store for AI-powered agents, opening new monetization paths for partners and developers. It will enable third-party vendors to sell industry-specific agents and tools, further enriching Oracle’s AI ecosystem. This move reflects a broader strategy to position Oracle not just as a cloud provider but as a facilitator of innovation across its partner network.SAP’s Bold Vision: SAP is preparing to reveal its most radical AI shift yet—positioning AI as the primary user interface across its suite. Powered by Joule, SAP's AI assistant, users will be able to interact with software through natural language instead of traditional menus or clicks. Tasks like requesting time off or checking budgets will be handled conversationally. This paradigm shift moves SAP from system-of-record software to intelligent systems-of-action.AI Recruitment Tools Rise: Both Oracle and SAP are doubling down on AI-enhanced recruitment tools. SAP’s acquisition of SmartRecruiters and Oracle’s industry bundles for talent management signal a strong push into AI-driven hiring. AI is being used to streamline candidate engagement, improve matching, and personalize outreach. While some fear AI may displace roles, enterprise vendors are positioning it as a tool to find the right people faster.The Big Quote: ““The hardest part of any of these transformations is the change management piece, and if AI can help make that change easier, faster and more comfortable for all the stakeholders—that’s the name of the game." Visit Cloud Wars for more.