San Francisco. Same city, different big tech conference. This time, the city is playing host to Oracle’s big annual conference OpenWorld (or OOW as it is also known).
Larry Ellison’s keynote isn’t until Monday afternoon, but there’s plenty to keep attendees occupied before and after the main event. Indeed, this year’s OOW boasts more than 2,000 sessions from the same number of customers. Tens of thousands of delegates are expended to descend on the Moscone conference centre (with millions watching the various live streams), while hundreds of partners will showcase their wares and network with existing and potential customers alike.
This year’s event will build on a truth universally acknowledged – that cloud is here, understood and being implemented. We’ve, rightly, moved away from questions such as ‘What is cloud?’ and ‘Is the cloud secure?’ And instead are focused on how to really get value from the cloud and where things are headed next.
There will also be a focus on how AI and machine learning can fuel innovation and help drive success, as well as how autonomy and automation are shaping and changing the world around us and the way we live and work.
Security considerations won’t be ignored, with the conference aiming to discuss and debate where the next big security threat or threats are likely to stem from and work out how to prepare and defend against them.
Outside of discussions around themes, there will obviously be the usual product announcements and an update on some of last year’s key launches.
Ultimately, the overriding message seems to be that of business transformation and how to empower employees and customers alike. But, although this conference is a technology one, it appears that Oracle recognises that IT is but one ingredient in the recipe to sustainable success.
‘It comes down to [the fact that] employees or customers don’t care what the technology is. They care about the user experience. And everything we’re trying to do is to get to that in a seamless fashion,” said Steve Miranda, executive vice president of Oracle Applications product development, on the first day of OOW.
The event is designed for “attendees who want to connect, learn, explore and be inspired,” according to Oracle. Stay tuned for my coverage throughout the week to see if this vision becomes reality.