Kubernetes and cloud-native technologies continue to thrive despite the rise of AI, as demonstrated by the unexpectedly successful KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe 2025 in London. With over 12,000 attendees packing the London ExCel center, the 11-year-old conference showcased the enduring importance of core infrastructure technologies that power modern applications, including AI systems themselves. The event revealed how Kubernetes is proving resistant to AI-based development approaches while simultaneously becoming essential infrastructure for AI workloads.
Why cloud-native technologies remain robust: Kubernetes and related technologies demonstrate surprising resilience against AI-driven development trends that are impacting other areas of software engineering.
- Infrastructure tasks require expertise and understanding of complex technologies that LLMs struggle to replicate effectively with current limitations.
- The rapid pace of change in cloud-native technologies means AI systems often produce outdated implementations that don’t reflect current best practices.
- Kubernetes has been central to AI infrastructure since the early days, with OpenAI building its systems on Kubernetes as far back as 2016.
The private cloud renaissance: After years of being overshadowed by hybrid cloud messaging, private cloud deployments are experiencing renewed interest and prominence at KubeCon 2025.
- AI development is driving businesses to build internal infrastructure for small language models and inferencing capabilities that protect sensitive proprietary data.
- Digital sovereignty concerns amid global uncertainties are pushing companies to deploy modernized private cloud infrastructures that ensure data integrity and protection.
- Modern private cloud implementations now provide the agility and flexibility of public cloud while offering greater control and security.
The big picture: The continued growth of KubeCon challenges expectations that the event might begin declining after reaching its 10-year milestone last year.
- Getting into keynotes was difficult with all seats in the main hall and overflow areas completely filled.
- Many discussions around AI focused on practical applications like automation and analytics, which Aberdeen research has identified as top use cases.
- The fall KubeCon event in Atlanta will be telling for whether this growth trajectory continues.
Recent Stories
DOE fusion roadmap targets 2030s commercial deployment as AI drives $9B investment
The Department of Energy has released a new roadmap targeting commercial-scale fusion power deployment by the mid-2030s, though the plan lacks specific funding commitments and relies on scientific breakthroughs that have eluded researchers for decades. The strategy emphasizes public-private partnerships and positions AI as both a research tool and motivation for developing fusion energy to meet data centers' growing electricity demands. The big picture: The DOE's roadmap aims to "deliver the public infrastructure that supports the fusion private sector scale up in the 2030s," but acknowledges it cannot commit to specific funding levels and remains subject to Congressional appropriations. Why...
Oct 17, 2025Tying it all together: Credo’s purple cables power the $4B AI data center boom
Credo, a Silicon Valley semiconductor company specializing in data center cables and chips, has seen its stock price more than double this year to $143.61, following a 245% surge in 2024. The company's signature purple cables, which cost between $300-$500 each, have become essential infrastructure for AI data centers, positioning Credo to capitalize on the trillion-dollar AI infrastructure expansion as hyperscalers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Elon Musk's xAI rapidly build out massive computing facilities. What you should know: Credo's active electrical cables (AECs) are becoming indispensable for connecting the massive GPU clusters required for AI training and inference. The company...
Oct 17, 2025Vatican launches Latin American AI network for human development
The Vatican hosted a two-day conference bringing together 50 global experts to explore how artificial intelligence can advance peace, social justice, and human development. The event launched the Latin American AI Network for Integral Human Development and established principles for ethical AI governance that prioritize human dignity over technological advancement. What you should know: The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, the Vatican's research body for social issues, organized the "Digital Rerum Novarum" conference on October 16-17, combining academic research with practical AI applications. Participants included leading experts from MIT, Microsoft, Columbia University, the UN, and major European institutions. The conference...