Cloud Wars Live with Bob Evans

In this episode of the AI Agent & Copilot Podcast, John Siefert, CEO of Dynamic Communities and Cloud Wars, is joined by AJ Ansari, Microsoft MVP and member of the programming committee for the AI Agent & Copilot Summit. The conversation focuses on what enterprises should really be looking for as agentic AI adoption matures.Key TakeawaysReal-world stories over hype: As interest in agentic AI surges, Ansari notes a sharp increase in speaker submissions driven by practitioners who have moved beyond experimentation. The most valuable content, he explains, comes from organizations that have tried, failed, learned, and succeeded—particularly those using AI to tackle concrete business challenges like efficiency, productivity, and margin pressure. Those real-world stories are “worth the price of admission,” he says.Practical impact and ROI: While aspirational innovation has its place, conference attendees want takeaways they can actually apply. According to Ansari, the best sessions balance vision with execution—so attendees leave knowing not just what’s possible, but how their investment in agentic AI will translate into measurable business outcomes.Clarity before AI: One standout insight is Ansari’s “Clarity Method,” which urges organizations to step back before defaulting to AI. Not every problem requires agents or copilots. Some can be solved through process changes, automation, or application updates. AI should be applied deliberately, once it’s clear it’s the best solution, not just the newest one.What to expect at the AI Agent & Copilot Summit: The upcoming AI Agent & Copilot Summit emphasizes an intimate, peer-driven experience with a mix of main-stage discussions and deep-dive master classes. Expect practical guidance, candid discussions about risks and security, and a community willing to “pull back the curtain” and share lessons learned, because, as Ansari puts it, this isn’t a zero-sum game.Maximizing the conference experience: Ansari encourages attendees to plan ahead: identify must-see sessions, leave room for serendipity, and prioritize networking. “Come with an appetite to learn,” he advises, noting that some of the most valuable insights emerge from hallway conversations and peer exchanges. Visit Cloud Wars for more.

In today's Cloud Wars Minute, I look at how Google Cloud is reshaping the defense tech landscape.Highlights00:04 — Google Cloud has announced a multi-million dollar contract with the NATO Communication and Information Agency (NCIA), to provide critical sovereign cloud capabilities.This new strategic partnership aims to enhance NATO's digital infrastructure.The NCIA will utilize Google Distributed Cloud, or GDC, to support its Joint Analysis, Training, and Education Center, or JATEC.00:39 — One of the key features it will employ is Google Distributed Cloud (GDC) Air-Gapped, which is an essential component of Google's sovereign cloud solutions. The feature allows the delivery of cloud services and AI capabilities to disconnected, fully secure environments.00:56 —Tara Brady, President of Google Cloud EMEA, said the following: ". . . This partnership will enable NATO to decisively accelerate its digital modernization efforts while maintaining the highest levels of security and digital sovereignty."01:38 — For Google Cloud, this development represents significant progress in expanding its presence within the defense industry, a sector long led by AWS and Microsoft. It also emphasizes growing confidence in Google's sovereign cloud offerings and highlights the increasingly complex and competitive nature of the cloud market. Visit Cloud Wars for more.

Visit Cloud Wars for more.

In today’s Cloud Wars Minute, I break down the latest earnings results showing Oracle and Google Cloud surging into a tie for the #2 fastest-growing cloud vendors in the world’s greatest growth market.Highlights00:13 — Two companies that are really pushing the boundaries here in the greatest growth market the world has ever known are Oracle and Google Cloud. Recently, Oracle pulled into a tie with Google Cloud for the second spot, number two spot on the fastest growing major cloud vendors list that is topped by number one, Palantir.00:41 — Nine of the 10 companies break out their cloud earnings. IBM does not for reasons I cannot fathom, but of the nine that do, five saw their growth rates accelerate in the most recent quarter, four of them saw declines, but only by one point. So for these, levels of growth are being sustained, strong customer demand, belief in the transformative power of what's going on with AI in the cloud.02:13 — Overall, we see lots of momentum here, across the board all the different sorts of products and services offered by the different Cloud Wars Top 10 companies and we saw Oracle make the biggest jump here, other than Palantir, Oracle went from 28% to 34%. So, it and Google Cloud: I've been making the case for the last 12-15 months that they're the most disruptive of the four hyperscalers.02:43 — They're coming out with new sorts of technologies, new ways of helping to push AI forward and definitely new go to market approaches. The partnership programs they have are also quite striking. So, going into the new year, those are going to be two companies really to watch. I think Microsoft's doing a good job on a very broad basis.03:03 — AWS has some has some work to do. It's just not been performing at the rate, especially when we look at future revenue growth as we see through the RPO numbers — talked about that some in yesterday's episode. Anyway, lively group here. When we say the greatest growth market world has ever known, I think these numbers continue to bear that out. Visit Cloud Wars for more.

Key TakeawaysSummit expectations: With so many people dipping their toes into the AI, Copilot, and agentic capabilities of Microsoft, Nancie expects the AI Agent & Copilot Summit to be filled with exciting stories about the outcomes and how people are leveraging and benefiting from it. She also anticipates seeing more exploratory customer case studies demonstrating the shift from conversational Copilot side to the agentic side. "I'm expecting to see much more of that understanding, how to use the full capability of the agentic feature."Selecting speakers: As part of the AI Agent & Copilot Summit Programming Committee Board, Nancie has been involved with selecting sessions for the event. She considers criteria for sessions, such as applying real-world use cases, demonstrating outcomes, and providing clarity on how organizations are benefiting. "It's less about the fear of 'How do I use this?' We should be able to see a good balance between business and technical perspectives," and how to launch safely, she shares.Moving forward in confidence: Those who attend the AI Agent & Copilot Summit will be able to move forward in adopting the technology in confidence and understanding the path to success. It's important to look at the holistic process so the end customers understand all the features available to update business processes as well as be able to work in a co-creation, collaborative way.AI impact: Attendees can gain guidance at the event on applying AI within their own careers, as it can add a competitive edge not only to businesses but also at the career level. Individuals can reflect on how AI will impact professional roles and leadership. The event provides a space to consider what career paths look like in the age of AI. "I see this event as an opportunity for people not just to attend sessions but to collaborate and talk with others who are attending so that they can learn from each other and network with each other, and just build their careers." Visit Cloud Wars for more.