Oracle AI World 2025: Snarky Preview of the Vegas AI Extravaganza

Oracle’s annual mega-conference—newly rebranded as Oracle AI World 2025—lands in Las Vegas next week, promising a four-day parade of keynotes, demos, and buzzwords so dense you could vector-index them. Expect thousands of IT pros, developers, and suits to nod solemnly as “AI” gets stapled to every product tier from databases to HR workflows, with just enough live-on-stage magic to make you believe this is the year Oracle becomes your company’s favorite LLM whisperer.

If you like this format, you’ll love our other road tests of conference hype: read the Cloudflare Connect 2025: Snarky Preview of the Vegas Tech Extravaganza and CES 2026 Preview: The Hype, the Hope, and the Just Plain Weird for even more snark-meets-substance.

Below, we slice through the sizzle to the steak: what’s officially on the docket, what’s rumored, which sessions are worth your badge scan, and where the investor catnip lives—plus a few places you can safely skip in favor of free espresso and better wifi.

1. Official Agenda Highlights and Keynotes (What We Know)
2. New Product Launches Anticipated
3. The Rumor Mill: Keynote Whispers and Community Speculation
4. Trends from Previous Oracle Events (Looking Back to Look Ahead)
5. Sessions Worth Watching (and Skipping)
   1. For Developers & Data Scientists
   2. For IT Professionals (DBAs, Cloud Architects, Network/Security Engineers)
   3. For Investors and Industry Analysts
6. Star Power: Big-Name Speakers and (Possible) Surprise Guests
7. Our Snarky Conclusion (Why It Matters)

Official Agenda Highlights and Keynotes (What We Know)

Oracle AI World 2025 isn’t a simple webinar or regional meetup – it’s a full-blown conference amped up and rebranded to surf the AI wave[1]. Oracle basically slapped “AI” on the marquee and doubled down on showcasing how everything in its product lineup now sparkles with artificial intelligence. Here are the key agenda highlights and confirmed main-stage keynotes to mark on your calendar:

• Opening Keynote – “Oracle AI: Powering Your Business” (Oct 14, 10:00 a.m.): Kicking things off is Mike Sicilia, who the agenda bills as Chief Executive Officer, Oracle[2]. (No, Safra Catz hasn’t vanished – think of Sicilia as Oracle’s point man for industry solutions, now thrust into the AI spotlight). Expect him to proclaim that Oracle is “embedding AI into every layer of our technology stack”[3] – from database to cloud infrastructure to applications – as if AI being “built in end-to-end” magically sets Oracle apart from competitors slapping on GPT add-ons. The marketing message: when AI powers every layer, businesses “move faster, work smarter, and deliver real results”[3]. In less buzzwordy terms, Sicilia will outline Oracle’s big-picture AI strategy across its products. Count on a high-level pep talk about Oracle’s unique ability to do AI in apps + AI in infrastructure + AI in data, with maybe a humblebrag that only Oracle can do all three. (Whether that’s true or just PR spin – cough Microsoft and others also do all three cough – we’ll let the audience decide.)
• Oracle Vision and Strategy (Oct 14, 1:30 p.m.): This is the marquee slot for Oracle’s founder and CTO, Larry Ellison[4]. Larry is the main event – the yacht-racing, island-owning tech icon known for bold claims and even bolder comparisons to rivals. His keynote will focus on Oracle’s “latest AI innovations”[5] and the company’s vision in the AI era. Translation: get ready for Larry to extol how Oracle’s generative AI capabilities will revolutionize enterprise computing. Historically, Ellison’s keynotes have included trash-talking competitors (Oracle OpenWorld attendees of yore will recall his jabs at SAP, IBM, and AWS) and unveiling something new in the database or hardware realm. This year, expect him to double down on AI and cloud. Will he drop a surprise announcement? It’s possible – maybe new AI services or a dramatic demo of AI working on Oracle’s database live on stage. Also likely: some tasty one-liners. We wouldn’t be surprised if Larry declares Oracle’s AI performance is “at least twice as fast as Amazon for half the cost” (a flavor of boast he’s made before in cloud context). Keep an ear out for any metrics he slips in, like how many customers are using Oracle’s AI services or how big Oracle’s GPU cloud clusters have gotten. One safe bet: he’ll remind everyone that Oracle’s the only company that owns the entire tech stack (apps, middleware, database, hardware, cloud) – implying they have an edge in delivering integrated AI solutions. It’s classic Ellison bravado, and it usually comes with a side of actual tech insight amid the self-congratulation.
• “The ‘AI for Data’ Revolution – How to Survive and Thrive” (Oct 14, 4:00 p.m.): In this late-afternoon keynote, two Oracle veterans take the stage: Juan Loaiza, EVP of Oracle Database Technologies, and T.K. Anand, EVP of Oracle Healthcare and Analytics[6]. This duo’s topic signals database meets AI in a big way. Loaiza is a database guru who’s been driving Oracle’s core DB for decades (he literally reports directly to Ellison on database tech[7]), and Anand’s remit spans analytics (and interestingly, healthcare solutions). They’ll likely talk about how AI is transforming data management and analytics – and why it’s not hype, but happening now (their abstract explicitly says “this isn’t hype – it’s happening”[8]). We expect a deep dive into Oracle’s data platforms infused with AI. This could mean highlighting features of Oracle Database 23‌^ai (yes, Oracle literally renamed the new version 23c to 23ai to ride the trend[9]). Look for them to tout AI Vector Search inside the Oracle DB, which allows natural language or semantic searches of enterprise data without moving it out of the database[10][9]. That’s a direct pitch against the need for separate vector databases – Oracle’s saying “we baked AI search into our flagship DB”. Loaiza might demo how you can ask a question in plain English and have the database answer from both structured data and text documents in one go (leveraging that vector search and “LLMs querying private data” magic[11]). T.K. Anand will likely tie this to real-world use cases – perhaps showing how an Oracle analytics tool or an industry app (healthcare, perhaps) uses generative AI to provide insights. Since Anand also heads Oracle’s healthcare AI efforts, don’t be surprised if they reference the new AI-driven Electronic Health Records system Oracle launched for hospitals[12][13], as an example of “AI for data” transforming an industry. The upshot of this session: AI + big data = new opportunities, and Oracle wants to convince you that its database and analytics tools are ready to ride that wave (so you should keep all your data with Oracle, naturally).
• “Building the Cloud for You” (Oct 15, 9:15 a.m.): The second day kicks off with Clay Magouyrk, who is Oracle’s top cloud engineer (listed also as Chief Executive Officer, Oracle on the agenda, which raised a few eyebrows just like Sicilia’s listing[14] – apparently Oracle has multiple “CEOs” wandering around the stage this year, or perhaps the events team was a bit generous with titles). In reality, Clay is the EVP/President of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) – the brains behind Oracle’s Gen2 Cloud. His keynote is all about Oracle’s cloud platform and how it’s tailored for enterprise needs in the AI era[15]. Expect Clay to get a bit more technical. Key themes likely include: performance at scale, hybrid cloud, security, and multicloud. Oracle’s teaser says “whether you need the biggest AI solutions, the smallest sovereign footprint, or the ability to get your data in any cloud with Oracle performance” – they’ve got you[15]. Let’s unpack that: “biggest AI solutions” hints at OCI’s heavy-duty GPU infrastructure. Oracle has been bragging about building superclusters with thousands of NVIDIA GPUs connected by ultra-fast networks (they claim over 16,000 H100 GPUs in a cluster with the highest bandwidth RDMA network in the cloud[16]). Clay will undoubtedly highlight Oracle’s partnership with NVIDIA – likely noting that OCI’s GPU clusters and NVIDIA’s tech are empowering cutting-edge AI training (NVIDIA is literally a premier sponsor of the event, so cue some mutual back-patting). On that note, rumor has it that NVIDIA’s CEO Jensen Huang might possibly make a cameo or video appearance – unconfirmed, but given NVIDIA’s deep involvement, it’s not out of the question. Next, “smallest sovereign footprint” refers to Oracle’s Distributed Cloud offerings – things like Cloud@Customer mini-regions that enterprises or governments can run in their own data centers for data sovereignty. Clay may announce updates to these “cloud in a box” solutions, ensuring even these mini-clouds can run AI workloads. And “your data in any cloud” alludes to Oracle’s big multicloud play: he’ll talk about how Oracle’s database and apps now work across clouds (for example, Oracle Database@Azure is a thing[17], and Oracle’s also working with other providers like integrating with Google for AI models). In fact, a major partnership with Google Cloud was announced in August: Oracle will offer Google’s newest Gemini AI models via OCI’s Generative AI service[18]. I suspect Clay will emphasize this Oracle–Google tie-up as a win-win: Oracle customers get access to Google’s best large language models (for text, image, even video generation) right from Oracle’s cloud[18][19]. It’s a bold example of Oracle positioning itself as an open AI platform – “we’ll bring in whatever top-tier models you need, even from a rival cloud, to run on OCI.” Pretty cheeky (and frankly a smart move to stay relevant). Along with that, watch for Clay to highlight any new OCI services or hardware options: maybe new AI-optimized chip instances (Oracle has been previewing use of AMD’s MI300X GPUs alongside NVIDIA’s – might they announce general availability for those?), improved networking speeds, or expanded region footprints. The tone here: Oracle’s cloud is “engineered for AI” and enterprise workloads, and they’ll try to prove it with stats and customer examples. (If Clay pulls out a slide saying “OCI is 50% cheaper than AWS for AI training,” don’t be shocked – that competitive zest is part of Oracle’s charm.)
• “Accelerate Success with AI in Oracle Applications” (Oct 15, 11:15 a.m.): This keynote features Steve Miranda, Oracle’s EVP of Applications Development, joined by Simon Walker, EVP of Industry Applications[20] (and they mention “several of your peers” joining, meaning likely some customer speakers onstage too). This is all about Oracle’s suite of business applications (think ERP, HCM, CRM – the Fusion Cloud apps) and how they are being supercharged with generative AI. The abstract is straight out of an AI buzzword bingo card: The AI revolution is here… AI embedded in Oracle Applications is fundamentally transforming workflows… from generative AI to AI Agents and the new Oracle AI Agent Studio…[21]. The key thing to note: Oracle AI Agent Studio. This sounds like a new product (or feature) likely to be announced or showcased here. Oracle has had an Oracle Digital Assistant (chatbot platform) for a while, but “AI Agent Studio” suggests a revamped tool for building AI-driven agents within Oracle’s applications. Miranda and Walker will probably demonstrate how, say, an HR manager or a finance analyst can use generative AI baked into Oracle’s apps to do things faster. Expect scenarios like: “Need to draft a job description? The system will draft one for you with AI!” or “Ask the ERP system in natural language how many widgets we sold in Europe last quarter, and it’ll spit out an analysis with a chat interface.” They might bring on a customer (maybe a CFO from a big company, or an HR chief) to attest how these new AI features saved time or uncovered insights. Also likely on the menu: AI Agents working across Oracle apps – perhaps a demo of an “AI assistant” that can traverse multiple modules (e.g., detect an inventory issue and automatically open a procurement request, alerting a human only for sign-off). Oracle’s already hinted that AI Agents will support employees in ways “impossible before”[22]. Given Oracle’s partnership with Cohere and others, the generative models behind these features might be Oracle’s own fine-tuned models or third-party LLMs integrated via OCI. One specific we anticipate: an announcement that Oracle Digital Assistant has evolved into this AI Agent Studio, allowing customers to build custom chatbots/agents that leverage both generative AI and Oracle’s application APIs. If you’re familiar with Salesforce’s Einstein GPT or Microsoft’s Copilots – this is Oracle’s answer. Snarky angle: It’s a bit like Clippy (that old MS Office assistant), except on enterprise steroids and hopefully less annoying. By the end of this session, Oracle will want business leaders to feel “Wow, Oracle’s apps are not old-school – they’re using AI to actually make work easier and more predictive.” And investors will be listening for signs that these AI features can drive new sales or upsell in the massive apps business.

Aside from those headliners, the official agenda is packed with other happenings:

• Pre-event Training and Orientation (Oct 13): Day 0 (Monday) is all about warming up. Oracle is running pre-event training sessions all day[23] – likely hands-on labs and certification tests for those who want to leave Vegas not just with a hangover but also an Oracle certification. In fact, Oracle has been pushing free training credits with AI World registration (valued at ~$5k) to entice people[24]. So if you’re an attendee, you could spend Monday getting trained on, say, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure or an Oracle database course. There are also AI World Orientation sessions at 10:00, 12:00, 2:00 that day[25] – basically 45-minute briefings by Oracle’s “tour guides” (Oracle TV’s Shanna Adamic, per the site[26]) to help newcomers navigate the massive conference. It’s a smart addition, because with a conference this large, first-timers can get overwhelmed. Snarky take: Yes, Oracle AI World is so big you need a map and possibly a Sherpa to find your way from the keynote hall to lunch. 😜
• Partner Briefing Center (Oct 13–16): Throughout the event, there’s a dedicated Partner Briefing Center running for Oracle’s partners (think systems integrators, resellers, ISVs)[27][28]. On Oct 13 it runs 9am–1pm, and continues during the main days too. This is basically Oracle schmoozing its channel and tech partners with sessions on go-to-market strategy, product roadmaps, and probably some NDA gossip. Unless you are a channel partner, you can safely ignore this – it’s where VARs and consulting firms get their playbook on selling Oracle AI solutions. For regular attendees, that might be a good window to hit the pool or go pick up swag.
• Education Sessions and Tracks (Oct 14–16): Once the keynotes each day conclude, the bulk of the conference is dozens (hundreds?) of breakout sessions running in parallel. Oracle has carved these into content tracks or “Content areas” by topic: AI, OCI (cloud infrastructure), Oracle Database, Applications, Industry Solutions, and even Customer Success case studies[29]. So whatever your interest – be it low-level database tuning or high-level AI strategy in finance – there’s a session for you. In total, we’re talking hundreds of sessions and workshops across three days. It’s impossible to attend everything, so attendees have been busy favoriting sessions in the event app (there’s even an app feature to build your schedule, which Oracle has been nudging people to use[30]). Key advice: plan ahead and choose wisely. There will be schedule conflicts galore (that’s just how these conferences roll). Later in this preview we’ll highlight some must-see sessions vs. ones you can skip for different types of attendees.
• AI World Hub (Expo Hall, Oct 14–15): The AI World Hub is Oracle’s fancy name for the expo floor and demo center[31]. This is open pretty much all day during Tue/Wed (9am–7pm on Oct 14, 8am–6pm on Oct 15[32][33]). Oracle is hyping it as an “energized setting where people, technology, and possibilities intersect”[34] – which is a flowery way to say you can wander among dozens of booths and demo stations, play with tech exhibits, and snag freebies. Here’s where you see and touch the technology: expect Oracle product teams showing off the latest AI features, from analytics demos (how Oracle Analytics Cloud now uses generative AI for insights)[35], to database demos (Database 23‌ai doing vector searches and even something about “immersive AI holograms” – yes, they mention holograms in the demo description[36]), to industry solutions (e.g. how AI improves retail, healthcare, etc.)[37], and OCI cloud demos (perhaps showcasing monitoring tools or how to deploy an AI model on OCI)[38]. Fun fact: Oracle even teases an “AI foosball” demo[39] – which sounds like a game of foosball enhanced with AI analytics or robotics. (Because nothing says cutting-edge tech like a robot trying to score a goal on a mini soccer table… but hey, it might be cool!). There’s also an Oracle TV studio in the Hub, where host Fritz Nelson will be broadcasting live interviews and highlights[40] – so attendees can watch live “talk show” style segments, possibly featuring execs and engineers. And let’s not forget the swag: Oracle is handing every attendee a “bag of goodies” sponsored by Accenture, NVIDIA, and PwC[41]. If prior years are an indicator, that means a backpack or tote with branded swag items (likely an Oracle AI World hoodie or water bottle, etc.). Pro tip: hit the Swag Station early – lines can get long once people realize free stuff is on offer. There’s also “The Shop” selling Oracle-branded merch for those who can’t get enough (yes, someone out there wants an Oracle hat, apparently)[42]. In short, the Hub is part tech expo, part carnival. It even features something called The Thrill of Success – AI-Powered Industry Adventure, which sounds like a gamified tour where you play a role (like theme park manager?) and complete challenges for prizes[43]. If you’re into escape-room-like games with a tech twist, that might be worth a look. For many, the expo is also prime networking time – corner that Oracle PM after their demo and ask your tough question, or just wander and strike up conversations. And yes, NVIDIA has a giant presence here – being a premier sponsor, they’ve got a slew of theater sessions and booths. You can bet their experts will eagerly talk your ear off about how Oracle + NVIDIA can “empower your AI journey”[44].
• Networking Events: Oracle AI World isn’t all work. On Tuesday (Oct 14) after sessions, there’s a Welcome Reception from 5:30–7:00 p.m.[45] in the Hub – basically a cocktail hour amid the expo booths. Free drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and the classic awkward mingling of salespeople and engineers. It’s a good chance to decompress and maybe casually chat with Oracle folks in a less formal setting. But the real social highlight is “The Party” on Wednesday night (Oct 15, 9:00 p.m.–midnight)[46][47]. And brace yourselves: Oracle has booked Def Leppard as the live entertainment[48]. Yes, that Def Leppard – the ’80s rock icons with hits like “Pour Some Sugar on Me” and “Photograph”[49]. It’s both a nod to nostalgia and a statement that Oracle’s not skimping on spectacle. So Wednesday night, expect an open bar, lots of neon lights, and a couple thousand conference-goers reliving their youth to screaming guitar riffs. (Perhaps Oracle’s reasoning: nothing brings together a crowd of techies and execs like singing along to “Rock of Ages” after a day of AI sessions?). Snark aside, a big party with a famous band has long been an Oracle tradition – in past years (when it was OpenWorld) they’ve hired rock and pop legends, so this checks out. Our advice: even if you aren’t a Def Leppard fan, go for the experience. It’s a chance to network in a fun environment. Just try not to think about the irony of an AI conference climaxing with hair-metal pyrotechnics. 😜 And if you are a Def Leppard fan, well, you’ll be in heaven. (Pro tip: Don’t wear your nicest suit to the party; this will be more concert T-shirt vibe than business casual.)

All told, the official agenda paints Oracle AI World 2025 as a multi-day tech festival: big keynotes in the mornings, breakouts and hands-on labs all day, and social events at night[50][45]. It’s a step up in scale and focus from last year’s event, reflecting Oracle’s all-in strategy on AI this year. Which leads us to…

New Product Launches Anticipated

If you’re tuning into Oracle AI World 2025, you’re probably wondering, “What new products or announcements will Oracle unveil?” Based on official hints, recent press releases, and some educated speculation, here’s what we anticipate on Oracle’s roadmap – including rumored announcements that have the Oracle community buzzing:

• OCI Generative AI Service Updates (More Models, GA status?): Oracle has been rapidly expanding its OCI Generative AI offerings. Just in the past year, they’ve rolled out support for Cohere’s large language models, Meta’s Llama models, and announced the integration of Google’s Gemini models[18][19]. We expect Oracle to officially trumpet some of these as new or expanded offerings. For instance, the partnership with Google Cloud (Gemini LLMs) was publicized in August – AI World is the perfect stage to detail how that works and maybe announce it’s live. They’ll likely say something like: “Starting today, OCI’s Generative AI service offers access to Google’s Gemini AI models (text, image, multimodal) in preview”. This is a big differentiator Oracle will push: unlike AWS or Azure which primarily tout their in-house or exclusive models, Oracle’s pitching itself as the neutral AI arms dealer – providing “model choice” (Cohere, open-source, now Google) curated for enterprise needs[51]. In short, expect an announcement of new models available on OCI (perhaps also an update that Meta’s latest Llama 3 is coming soon, given Oracle last year mentioned Llama 3.1 in press[52]). Additionally, Oracle might declare General Availability for features that were previewed – e.g., the OCI GenAI service itself might shed any “beta” label if it had one, signaling it’s production-ready for all customers. Keep an ear out for phrases like “now GA” or “available to all OCI customers starting now”. They’ve already GA’d their GenAI RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) Agents as of late 2024[53], but we might hear about new GenAI Agents specialized for other tasks. Oracle’s press teasers often mention it’s the “first of a series” of GenAI Agents[54] – so perhaps new out-of-the-box agents (maybe an “Interaction Agent” for customer service or an “IT Ops Agent” for DevOps tasks) could be introduced. Even if not, expect improvements to the GenAI platform: possibly easier fine-tuning tools, more regions supported, or new cost optimizations. Oracle knows every cloud is touting AI; their angle will be “we offer the most enterprise-friendly AI cloud – broad model choice, strong security, and predictable pricing.”
• Oracle AI Agent Studio (Build Your Own AI Agents): As noted in the applications keynote section, Oracle has name-dropped an “AI Agent Studio”[21]. We anticipate this is a new product launch aimed at enterprise developers and business users to create AI-driven assistants. It might be part of Oracle’s platform services or within the Fusion Applications toolkit. In practice, this could be similar to Microsoft’s “Power Virtual Agents” or Salesforce’s “Einstein Bots” – a studio interface to design conversational AI agents that can perform actions. Oracle will likely highlight that these agents can securely connect to enterprise data (via that Oracle Database vector search, or via APIs) and perform transactions in Oracle apps. For example, an HR agent that an employee can ask, “How many vacation days do I have left?” or a finance agent a CFO can ask, “What’s our cash flow this quarter?” The differentiator Oracle will push: these aren’t just chatbots that answer questions, but can also take actions in your Oracle systems (with proper governance). Rumor mill says this Agent Studio is Oracle’s packaging of multiple AI capabilities – combining their Digital Assistant platform with new large language model integration and a library of pre-built “skills”. Look for a slick demo of creating an agent with a few clicks: selecting a model (maybe Cohere’s Command model or Gemini via OCI), plugging it into an Oracle application (like enabling it for Oracle ERP), and defining some ground rules. If done right, this could draw oohs and ahhs from the enterprise crowd, since many companies want custom AI assistants but don’t have armies of data scientists to build them. Oracle’s message: now they don’t have to – we’ve got the studio to build AI agents in-house easily. It’s a logical extension of Oracle’s investment in AI; after all, Oracle was recognized recently as a leader in “AI Agents and Conversational AI” in an analyst report[55], so they’ll want to solidify that lead.
• Database and Data Management Enhancements: Oracle’s flagship database got its AI-infused update (23c, branded 23ai) earlier in 2024, introducing things like AI Vector Search, JSON<->Relational duality, and more[10][56]. We expect AI World will reiterate those features (especially since Juan Loaiza is speaking). However, there might be new announcements around data: possibly Oracle Autonomous Database updates that leverage AI for self-tuning or auto-generating code. Or improvements to Oracle Data Integrator or Analytics using generative AI (for instance, automated data modeling suggestions, etc.). Another likely focus: Oracle will double down on the message that you can do AI inside the Oracle DB. We might hear about further integration of Python or machine learning algorithms within the database. There’s a chance they might preview the next database release or feature pack – perhaps teasing Oracle Database 24 (would they call it 24ai too?). Or they might announce that Oracle Database 23ai is now available on all platforms (including on-prem customers, not just cloud) to encourage upgrades. A specific rumored feature: deeper integration of LLMs with SQL. Some in the Oracle community have speculated about the ability to use natural language queries directly in Oracle’s SQL Developer tools (so that a user can get a suggested SQL query by describing what they want). If Oracle has something akin to GitHub Copilot but for SQL (maybe that Oracle Code Assist that was mentioned in 2024[57]), AI World could be where they officially launch it. In fact, the 2024 press release hinted at Oracle Code Assist to help developers with code in various languages including PL/SQL[58] – it wouldn’t surprise us if Oracle says “available now for developers: an AI code assistant integrated into Oracle’s development tools.” That’s catnip for developers who spend a lot of time writing SQL or Java for Oracle apps. Bottom line: look for AI in Database, AI for Developers, and AI for Analytics** announcements. Even if no brand-new version is launched, Oracle will announce small but significant enhancements (e.g., expanded vector indexing capabilities, or new AI-driven automation in data pipelines).
• OCI Infrastructure & Chips: GPU Announcements: Given the presence of NVIDIA and Oracle’s bragging rights on GPU clusters, expect at least one infrastructure-focused announcement. Possibly Oracle will announce availability of the NVIDIA GH200 “Grace Hopper” Superchip on OCI for next-gen AI training (NVIDIA’s newest CPU+GPU combo for AI – if Oracle secured an early allotment, they’ll shout about it). Oracle might also highlight its use of AMD MI300X GPUs (which they casually dropped in a press release about a startup using OCI with AMD GPUs[59]). If those are now fully deployed, Oracle could tout itself as the only cloud offering both NVIDIA’s and AMD’s top AI chips. This appeals to customers who want optionality (and maybe leverage AMD’s potentially lower cost). We also expect talk of networking: Oracle could announce an upgrade to their interconnect speeds (maybe moving from 100 Gbps to 400 Gbps between servers, who knows) to reinforce the message “we have the fastest pipes for AI clusters”. Storage and data might get some love too – something like a new high-performance file system tier for AI, or partnership with a company for faster data loading to GPUs. In short, a lot of this might be incremental improvements packaged as “OCI: now even more AI-ready”. A specific example: Oracle might formally announce the next generation of Exadata (their database machine) tailored for AI workloads – perhaps an Exadata with GPU acceleration for in-DB machine learning. Or even an Oracle-branded AI appliance for on-prem customers (imagine a rack that’s basically an OCI region in a box with GPUs). If they do, that would align with the “AI anywhere” narrative. And one more thing: cost/pricing models. Oracle might introduce new pricing options for AI services to undercut competitors (they know cloud cost is a big factor). Don’t be shocked if a speaker says, “we’re introducing special AI cloud credits or bundles so you can train models at half the price of other clouds”. Oracle has been positioning OCI as cost-efficient (see their claims of best price-performance on GPUs[60][61]), so they could double down with a promotional pricing for AI workloads to attract startups and researchers who are cost-sensitive.
• Enterprise Application Features & Fusion Suite: Beyond the Agent Studio, Oracle will likely announce a slew of AI features across its Fusion Cloud Applications (ERP, HCM, SCM, CX). They’ve already been rolling these out in updates – e.g., AI to suggest procurement actions, AI to recommend sales forecasts, etc. At AI World, they might bundle them into a marketing umbrella (perhaps calling it “Oracle Fusion AI” or similar). Specifically rumored:
  • AI in HR (HCM): Tools to generate job descriptions, analyze employee sentiment from survey comments using NLP, or even AI coaching for employee development. Oracle might showcase a feature where the HR system can answer employee queries (“What’s our parental leave policy?” answered by an AI trained on company handbooks).
  • AI in Finance (ERP): Perhaps an AI that flags anomalies in invoices (fraud detection) or automates expense report auditing by understanding receipts. Oracle could launch an “AI Financial Analyst” that prepares a draft of your quarter-end financial package, pulling data and even writing commentary (hey, generative text can do a first draft!).
  • AI in Customer Experience (CX): Likely enhancements to Oracle’s marketing and sales cloud – like AI-generated marketing copy, product recommendations driven by AI, or automated customer service responses. Given everyone and their mother is doing AI chatbots for customer service, Oracle will highlight how their CX suite integrates a chatbot that ties into backend customer data securely (with Oracle data governance).
  • Supply Chain (SCM): Possibly predictive AI that can simulate supply scenarios or advise on inventory (e.g., “AI predicts a supply delay next quarter based on trends, here’s a mitigation plan”). They might mention digital twins or AI for logistics optimization (buzzwords that resonate with the ops folks).
  • NetSuite (the mid-market ERP Oracle owns): Oracle might slip in some news here too, since NetSuite had a conference recently. Maybe AI features for SMBs via NetSuite (like automated bookkeeping with AI). Not a main focus of AI World, but if any NetSuite customers are around, Oracle won’t leave them out entirely.

Essentially, Oracle wants to show that every corner of its application portfolio is being infused with AI. We’ll hear phrases like “AI-powered workflows”, “intelligent automation”, “next-best action recommendations”, etc. The key is not one big product here, but many little enhancements that together keep Oracle’s apps competitive with the Workdays, SAPs, and Salesforces of the world who are also touting AI features. Watch for Oracle possibly taking a swipe at competitors: e.g., “While other enterprise apps talk about AI, we’ve embedded it natively throughout our suite.” They’ve already said their approach is AI isn’t an add-on but built-in[62] – expect that narrative reinforced with concrete new examples launched at the event.

• Industry Solutions and Partnerships: Oracle serves many industries (financial services, healthcare, retail, government, etc.), and AI World might see industry-specific AI solution announcements. For example, Oracle might announce a new AI module for Healthcare beyond the EHR, like an AI-powered patient engagement tool (leveraging that voice-first EHR agent tech they unveiled)[13][63]. Or in retail, maybe an AI-driven demand forecasting cloud service. There’s also talk that Oracle could unveil AI models or services tailored to certain industries – e.g., a pre-trained financial language model for banking (they mentioned industry models like a medical LLM “MedLM” in context of the Google partnership[19]). If Oracle and Google are collaborating, perhaps Oracle will offer Google’s specialized models (like their upcoming multimodal and industry-specific ones) to, say, healthcare or telecom companies. Additionally, partnerships might be highlighted: e.g., Oracle’s partnership with Cerner (now Oracle Health) means they could bring a hospital executive to announce how AI is improving patient care via Oracle systems. Or Oracle might emphasize working with big consulting firms (Accenture, Deloitte, etc. who are sponsors) on AI solutions – perhaps launching new “AI Centers of Excellence” with those partners. Nothing earth-shattering, but if you hear a bunch of logos on stage, that’s what’s happening.
• Wildcard Rumors: As with any big event, the rumor mill churns out some wild ideas. A few floating around (take these with a grain of salt):
  • Oracle’s Own Large Language Model? – Some have jokingly speculated whether Oracle has secretly trained a gigantic “OracleGPT” on all the enterprise data it has. This is largely seen as far-fetched; Oracle’s strategy has been partner rather than build an LLM from scratch (Cohere, etc.). It’s unlikely they announce an Oracle-developed general LLM. However, a small possibility is Oracle unveiling domain-specific models they’ve trained. For example, an “Oracle Financial GPT” fine-tuned on financial data, or a “Oracle Code LLM” trained on PL/SQL and Java patterns from customer systems to help with code generation. Oracle hasn’t hinted at this, but if they did, it would certainly turn heads. Our take: Oracle will stick to touting how they host and tune others’ models, rather than claiming they built a better GPT themselves – at least this year.
  • Surprise Acquisition? – Oracle is not shy about big acquisitions (hello, $28B for Cerner). Could they use the conference to announce they bought a hot AI startup? The name Cohere comes up (Oracle already invested in Cohere in 2023[64] along with others, valuing it over $2B). If Oracle really wanted to cement its AI credentials, snapping up an AI firm could do it. But Cohere has other investors and likely wants to stay cloud-agnostic, so Oracle acquiring them outright is unlikely for now. Another angle: maybe Oracle acquired a small AI security company or ML ops startup to bolster OCI’s tooling. No solid leaks on this, so any acquisition talk is pure conjecture. But if Larry loves a technology, he sometimes just buys it – so we’ll keep an eye out for any “We’re pleased to announce Oracle has entered an agreement to acquire XYZ AI Inc” press releases during the event.
  • Expanding the Microsoft Partnership: Oracle made waves by partnering closely with Microsoft on database services in Azure. Some wonder if they’ll deepen that alliance into AI. Perhaps an announcement that Azure OpenAI Service can integrate with Oracle DB 23ai or something along those lines. Or more humorously, maybe Satya Nadella pops up on video to congratulate Oracle on AI World (okay, probably not). But the point is, Oracle’s surprising willingness to buddy up with former rivals (MS, Google) means any new alliance isn’t off the table. Could we see, for instance, an Oracle and IBM AI partnership? Unlikely, but stranger things have happened. More realistically, they might announce an initiative with Red Hat (IBM-owned) since Red Hat is at AI World touting OpenShift on OCI[65]. Possibly something about running Red Hat’s OpenShift AI pipelines on Oracle Cloud easily.
  • Consumer AI or OpenAI cameo: This is very unlikely, but worth a mention: OpenAI’s CEO or other AI celebrity showing up. Given OpenAI’s CRO spoke at Cloudflare’s event, one might daydream if Sam Altman or an AI luminary does a fireside with Larry. We’ve heard zero evidence of this, so don’t hold your breath. Oracle’s not exactly the darling of AI researchers, and Microsoft has that OpenAI connection locked. So unless Larry pulls a rabbit out of his hat, expect the AI star power to be from partners already known (NVIDIA, etc.), not surprise guests from the OpenAI world.

In summary, Oracle is going to throw a kitchen sink of announcements out, reinforcing the narrative that it’s an “AI-first” company now. Many of these may be iterative improvements rather than shockers – e.g., expanding an existing service to more models, releasing a preview of a dev tool, showcasing a reference customer using Oracle AI – but they add up. Keep an eye (and ear) on concrete signals amid the buzzwords: phrases like “now generally available”, “in preview today”, “customers can start using X now” indicate real product drops you can touch. Also, be ready to parse the AI jargon drinking game: if you hear “Agentic AI” (Oracle loves this term to mean AI agents)[13], “autonomous” (their old buzzword still applicable to their DB and cloud), “gen AI”, “LLM”, “vector database”, etc., take a sip of your (hopefully free) conference coffee. By our count, Oracle might set some kind of record for most AI buzzwords mentioned in a single day – but beneath that, there are substantial moves that could impact enterprise tech stacks. The challenge for attendees will be separating real, useful innovations from the “because marketing said we must mention AI here” filler.

The Rumor Mill: Keynote Whispers and Community Speculation

It wouldn’t be a tech conference without some wild rumors and hopeful whispers leading up to it. The Oracle ecosystem – from customer forums to partners – has been chattering about what might happen on stage. Here are a few of the more intriguing rumors floating around about Oracle AI World 2025:

• “Larry’s Big Benchmark Boast” – Okay, this one’s almost a given: scuttlebutt says Larry Ellison will announce a new benchmark result to claim Oracle’s superiority. Possibly something like “Oracle just ran the largest AI training workload in cloud history” or “Oracle Database 23ai processed a trillion vector searches in under a second”. These might sound outlandish, but Larry loves to one-up competitors with some record (remember when Oracle set an ATPC benchmark and plastered it everywhere?). The community expects at least one slide of performance metrics that seems too good to be true. Skeptics will be ready to dissect the fine print (was that test done in ideal conditions nobody has?), but it’s all part of the show. One rumor specifically pointed to Oracle showcasing how an AI model training on OCI beat AWS’s time for the same task by 30%. We’ll see if that comes true.
• “NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang Cameo” – We mentioned this in passing, but it’s a popular hope: that Jensen (leather jacket and all) might join Oracle’s keynote, even briefly. Oracle has expanded its collaboration with NVIDIA consistently[66][67], and NVIDIA’s presence at AI World is huge. If Jensen were to walk on stage with Larry, the crowd of AI enthusiasts would go wild. They could announce something like a new integration of NVIDIA’s AI software (like NVIDIA AI Enterprise) natively into OCI – which, by the way, Oracle and NVIDIA have already been working on making NVIDIA’s AI stack available in Oracle’s cloud[68]. Even a short “fireside chat” where Jensen and Larry banter about the future of AI (and how their companies are BFFs in enabling it) would generate buzz. Is it likely? Oracle hasn’t hinted at external keynote guests, and typically they’d promote that. So this might remain a wishful rumor. Perhaps a pre-recorded video message from Jensen is more plausible. Fingers crossed for those who’d love to see it – but don’t be surprised if instead we just get Oracle’s Clay Magouyrk quoting Jensen instead.
• “Oracle’s Gonna One-Up Salesforce’s AI Cloud” – In the CRM world, Salesforce made noise with its “AI Cloud” and Einstein GPT. Some Oracle watchers speculate Larry might take a swipe and announce an “AI Cloud for Industries” or something similarly packaged, to not be outdone. Oracle could conceivably bundle its AI offerings into a cohesive brand or product. Maybe they’d call it Oracle AI Cloud Platform – though arguably that’s just OCI with AI services. More specifically, there’s chatter that Oracle will introduce industry-specific AI cloud offerings, like “Oracle AI Cloud for Healthcare” (pre-loaded with health data models, compliant environment) or “AI Cloud for Finance” (with extra governance for banking). Oracle does like industry tailoring (they have industry cloud apps already). If they do this, it’s basically a marketing bundle of existing stuff, but it could resonate with buyers who want turnkey solutions. This rumor stems from Oracle recently highlighting vertical success stories (like that Oracle Health EHR being completely AI-infused[13]). We’ll see if they formalize vertical AI products.
• “Expanded Microsoft Tie-Up – Azure loves Oracle AI?” – Ever since Oracle and Microsoft announced their database partnership, folks have mused, what’s next? One speculative idea: Oracle might announce that Oracle AI services will be easily accessible from Azure or Microsoft 365. Perhaps a stretch, but here’s a scenario: Microsoft’s enterprise customers using Azure OpenAI Service could tap into Oracle Database vector search via a connector, enabling RAG across Oracle data. Or maybe Oracle’s AI Agent Studio could integrate with Microsoft Teams (imagine an Oracle AI agent that pops up in Teams chat to answer ERP questions). Given Microsoft’s own products overlap, this isn’t likely a keynote topic (why promote a competitor’s platform on your stage?). However, behind closed doors, Oracle and MS are collaborating (they even set up a joint Azure-Oracle interconnect data center). So, not for this conference, but don’t rule out future cross-cloud AI integration. The rumor’s existence just shows how surprisingly open Oracle has become to partnerships – something unthinkable a decade ago in the Ellison-vs-Gates era.
• “Oracle to Open-Source Something Big” – Here’s a fun one: speculation that Oracle might open-source a key piece of its AI tech. The rationale: Cloudflare just open-sourced some stuff at its event; Meta open-sourced models; Oracle might do something to woo developers. Perhaps they release an open-source toolkit for using Oracle DB with generative AI, or an OCI SDK for AI under an open license. Or even open-source some pre-trained smaller model (maybe a language model they fine-tuned for SQL?). Oracle isn’t historically big on open source (aside from owning Java and MySQL), and it jealously guards its core IP. So, this rumor is probably wishful thinking by community open-source fans. The more realistic outcome: Oracle will talk about how it embraces open source (e.g., “we support open source Hugging Face models on OCI, we contribute to Linux, etc.”) rather than dumping any major code. If any open source news comes, it might be around Oracle’s developer tools – maybe they put the Oracle Code Assistant on GitHub or release some integration code for popular AI frameworks.

In essence, the community’s speculative mood is high. Oracle fans (and critics) are tossing around ideas from the plausible to the fantastical. A lot of it is wishful thinking or reading tea leaves. We’d rate many of the above rumors as long shots, but it shows the interest in what Oracle might pull off. Will Oracle surprise us beyond what’s expected? In the past, Oracle’s big conference announcements have mostly been telegraphed (Larry’s not known for stealth launches – he prefers big, orchestrated reveals). But the stakes and spotlight on AI are so high that maybe, just maybe, Oracle has kept one secret up its sleeve. The only way to know is to watch those keynotes and see which rumors pan out and which were just forum fantasy.

Trends from Previous Oracle Events (Looking Back to Look Ahead)

To understand Oracle AI World 2025, it helps to see it in the context of Oracle’s recent event history and strategy shifts. Just a year or two ago, this conference was called Oracle CloudWorld, and before that, the legendary Oracle OpenWorld. Here’s how things have evolved and what that tells us about this year’s spectacle:

• 2024: The AI Turn Begins. Oracle CloudWorld 2024 (held around Sept 2024) was when Oracle first went all-in on generative AI messaging. They announced the OCI Generative AI service, the partnership with Cohere (which was actually unveiled earlier in 2023 with much fanfare about Oracle’s 16k GPU clusters[16]), and new AI features across the board[53][69]. It set the stage for what we’re seeing now. The theme in 2024 was “AI Changes Everything” – heck, Oracle’s Investor Day in Sept 2025 was literally titled that[70]. So 2024’s event pivoted from just cloud and database talk to cloud+AI talk. Larry Ellison’s keynote back then emphasized that Oracle’s complete stack (apps+data+infrastructure) made it uniquely positioned to deliver AI to enterprises[71]. Sound familiar? It’s the same refrain we expect this year, just turned up to 11. The difference: in 2024, Oracle was introducing the idea that “we have generative AI too!” – whereas in 2025, they are branding the whole show around it to hammer home that message.
• From OpenWorld to CloudWorld to AI World – scaling up: Oracle OpenWorld in the 2010s was huge but heavily focused on database, hardware (Sun/Exadata) and apps, with cloud creeping in later. By 2022/2023, Oracle CloudWorld in Las Vegas became the new flagship, scaled-down a bit but still significant. Now in 2025, renaming it AI World signals Oracle wants this event to scream “we’re an AI leader.” It’s a bold rebrand – effectively Oracle is saying the cloud part is assumed, now it’s about the AI on top of it. This parallels what we see in the industry: cloud is no longer the shiny new thing, AI is. Importantly, moving to Las Vegas (they started that with CloudWorld) suggests Oracle wants to play in the same arena (literally and figuratively) as other big tech conferences – AWS re:Invent (Vegas), CES (Vegas), etc. Vegas allows big expo halls and flashy parties (Def Leppard, folks!). It’s Oracle staking a claim: our conference is as big and bold as any in tech. We’d say 2025’s edition is Oracle’s largest in years by breadth of content. They’ve reportedly got thousands of sessions and a much broader audience – not just DBAs and Oracle admins, but AI developers, data scientists, industry folks, even investors showing up.
• Rapid-Fire Announcements vs. One Big Thing: Historically, Oracle’s events (especially OpenWorld) often had one or two headline product launches – e.g., a new database version, a new hardware appliance – and then a lot of incremental updates. In recent times, Oracle has shifted to a more continuous release cadence (cloud services updating regularly, etc.). So at AI World, expect many small/medium announcements rather than one single earth-shattering reveal. This is similar to what we saw with Oracle’s “AI September” in 2023/2024: multiple press releases (like the RAG agent service, the partnership with Microsoft, etc.) around the event[72][70]. So Connect (oops, Cloudflare brain – we mean Oracle AI World) will bundle those into big themes and add a few “one more thing” surprises. For example, at CloudWorld 2024 they announced a bunch of enhancements across OCI services (from data science to apps) in one go[73][57]. We expect the same style: a deluge of improvements that collectively signal Oracle is moving fast in AI. The trend here: Oracle is trying to shed its image of being slow-moving. By showing lots of feature releases, they want to say “look, we’re innovating as quickly as anyone, we’re cloud now, not the old on-prem upgrade cycles”. Whether the market fully buys that is another story, but the volume of announcements is a strategy to create momentum.
• Enterprise Focus, Customer Showcases: One thing that hasn’t changed from past Oracle events: the emphasis on customer success stories. Oracle knows that nothing convinces a potential buyer more than hearing from a peer. In the past (OpenWorld), Larry would bring CEOs on stage, or have segments like “XYZ bank runs on Oracle”. In 2025, we already see Oracle loading the agenda with customer and partner speakers in various sessions (PwC hosting finance AI talks[74], Capgemini doing case studies[75], etc.). The keynote with Steve Miranda explicitly mentions “several of your peers” joining him[21] – expect maybe a manufacturing company VP or a healthcare CIO sharing how Oracle’s AI in apps helped them. This follows a trend from previous years: e.g., Oracle CloudWorld 2023 had customers like Uber and Co-op UK quoted about using Oracle’s generative AI[76][77]. We anticipate at AI World 2025, customer cameos either onstage or via video in almost every main session: perhaps a financial services giant endorsing Oracle’s secure approach to AI, or a telecom saying Oracle’s AI in the cloud helped them launch a new service faster. So, industry credibility is a major goal. Oracle’s fighting to overcome any skepticism that it’s second-fiddle to AWS/Azure/GCP – showcasing big-name customers who chose Oracle for critical AI or data workloads is their way to say “see, we’re in the big leagues.” In earlier sections we noted startups like Fireworks AI and others on OCI[78][79]; expect references to them too, perhaps in Clay’s cloud keynote: “Hundreds of AI innovators – from cutting-edge startups to Fortune 100 companies – run their AI on OCI”[60][80]. It’s a brag, but one rooted in a real trend: Oracle has enticed some non-traditional customers (startups) lately with its cloud capacity when others were maxed out. That’s a change from previous years where Oracle’s cloud was often only mentioned in context of existing Oracle shops.
• From Hardware-Centric to Cloud Services: Rewinding further, Oracle OpenWorlds a decade ago would spend considerable time on hardware (Sun servers, Exadata, engineered systems). In 2025, hardware is behind the scenes. There may be a mention of Exadata X10 or whatever generation, but it will be couched in how it supports AI and cloud. Oracle’s narrative is fully about services now – cloud services, AI services. It’s interesting because Oracle still sells hardware, but you wouldn’t know it from the agenda unless you hunt for it. This trend shows Oracle aligning with how the market talks. Compare that to an AWS re:Invent which is all cloud services; Oracle is mimicking that style – focusing on capabilities delivered as cloud services (with fancy names like Autonomous Data Warehouse, etc.). Why mention this? It means the announcements at AI World will almost all be things you can subscribe to or enable in Oracle Cloud immediately or soon, rather than “buy this new box and install it.” That’s a big shift from Oracle’s past. And it reflects in how they court the audience: more developers and cloud architects, fewer system admins buying servers. Oracle’s trying to broaden its appeal beyond the traditional Oracle DBA crowd. The presence of content like “AI for Developers hackathon” (there isn’t a hackathon listed, but plenty of dev labs) and sessions about open-source integration highlights that cultural shift. Long-time Oracle conference goers might recall deep-dive SQL tuning sessions; those still exist, but they’re now alongside sessions on using Python with OCI, or integrating with Kubernetes (via Red Hat partnership)[65]. In short, the event content has diversified, mirroring Oracle’s transition to a cloud provider + application provider.

Summing up, Oracle AI World 2025 is the culmination of trends building over the last few years: increasing emphasis on AI and cloud, bigger scale and broader audience, and a blend of visionary keynotes with a firehose of incremental improvements. Oracle is essentially saying “We’re not the old Oracle you remember – we’re cloud-smart, AI-forward, and moving fast.” Of course, some skeptics will smirk at that (Oracle’s marketing can get ahead of reality at times). But one can’t deny Oracle has come a long way from the purely database-centric conferences of yesteryear. This event is their chance to prove to attendees and the market that their transformation is real.

As observers, what remains consistent is Oracle’s flair for showmanship (they can still put on a Vegas party as well as anyone) and confidence (hubris, some might say) that they belong at the forefront of tech’s biggest waves. The rebranding to AI World itself is a bold statement – it’s Oracle planting its flag on the AI hilltop. Now all that’s left is to see if the content of the event lives up to that positioning or if it’s mostly marketing sizzle on an old steak. Which brings us to our next section: how to navigate the sizzle vs. steak as an attendee.

Sessions Worth Watching (and Skipping)

Not all talks are created equal. Depending on your role or interests – whether you’re a hardcore developer, an IT/DB/cloud architect, or an investor/analyst – you’ll want to prioritize different sessions at Oracle AI World 2025. With so many options on the menu, here’s our persona-based breakdown of what to catch and what you can probably skip:

For Developers and Data Scientists

Must-Watch: Head straight for the sessions in the AI and OCI (cloud) tracks that focus on building and deploying AI solutions. Look for workshops or talks on OCI’s AI services and how to use them – for example, a session about integrating OCI’s Generative AI API into applications, or a live demo of training a model using OCI Data Science. If you’re into database dev, definitely catch any session on Oracle Database 23‌^ai – perhaps one titled “Building Intelligent Apps with Oracle Database Vector Search”. That will show how to use the new vector search and in-DB machine learning features (very relevant if your apps sit on Oracle DB). MySQL HeatWave also deserves your attention: Oracle’s been pushing MySQL HeatWave as an all-in-one OLTP+analytics+ML database, and rumor is they’ll show off HeatWave’s new GenAI capabilities (they’ve talked about an in-database LLM and vector store for MySQL[81][82]). If there’s a session called “MySQL HeatWave GenAI Technical Deep Dive,” go to that – you’ll see how you can do things like query your MySQL with natural language or build a chatbot that pulls answers from MySQL data[81][83]. Also, keep an eye out for anything with “Hands-on Lab” in the title – for instance, a lab on developing AI-powered chatbots with Oracle Digital Assistant (Agent Studio), or “Train and Deploy a Custom LLM on OCI in 60 minutes”. Those labs are golden for getting practical experience (and usually you get temporary OCI credits or environments to play in). Another highlight: Oracle’s developer keynote or panel (if they have one outside the main stage). Sometimes Oracle’s top engineers (like the folks who build Java or the DB) host sessions about future roadmap. For example, if there’s a talk by Grahame Grieve (just as a hypothetical – he’s behind APEX) on “Low-Code meets Generative AI with APEX”, that could be intriguing – APEX is Oracle’s app builder, and adding AI to it can empower you to quickly generate app features. And definitely, if Oracle Code Assist (the AI code suggestion tool) is demonstrated in a session, check it out. Imagine getting PL/SQL or Java code suggestions from an AI trained on Oracle best practices – could save you from searching Stack Overflow. Lastly, don’t miss the chance to interact with Oracle product managers and engineers in the Hub demo stations. They often spill more insight there one-on-one than they do in scripted sessions. For instance, if you meet the OCI AI Services PM, ask about upcoming features – you might get hints of the roadmap.

What to Skip: As a dev, you can safely skip the overly “business-y” sessions. Anything that sounds like a customer panel of CIOs discussing strategy, or high-level “leadership” talks on AI ethics in business – those will be buzzword-rich and code-poor. Also, unless you’re looking to get certified, the Oracle University basic training sessions (intro to Oracle Cloud, etc.) aren’t a good use of time – you likely already know how to spin up a VM or you can learn that online. Focus on the advanced content you can’t easily get elsewhere. Another skip: the Partner solution sessions that are essentially sales pitches (e.g., “How Deloitte and Oracle deliver AI for finance” hosted by Deloitte). Those tend to be marketing fluff, not technical deep-dives. And while the keynotes are worth watching for major announcements, once they shift from demo mode into “and now let’s bring on our customer panel to tell you how great Oracle is,” you have permission to quietly duck out and head to the labs. You’ll get the gist from Twitter or recap blogs later. One more thing: if by mid-week you’re saturated, skipping a late afternoon session to recharge is okay. You don’t have to attend something every slot – sometimes the best “session” is an impromptu hallway chat or, heck, 30 minutes at the blackjack table to clear your head (just gamble responsibly, folks).

For IT Professionals (DBAs, Cloud Architects, Network or Security Engineers)

Must-Watch: The OCI Infrastructure and Database tracks will speak your language. Look for sessions that dive into performance, scalability, and integration. For example, a session titled “Scaling AI Workloads on OCI: Best Practices” is a no-brainer – Oracle engineers likely walking through reference architectures for AI (you’ll learn about optimizing GPU clusters, using OCI’s RDMA network, etc.). Similarly, any talk on multicloud or hybrid deployment – maybe “Running Oracle Database 23ai on Azure and OCI seamlessly” – will be valuable if your enterprise straddles clouds. Security is another big one: check out sessions on Zero Trust and data security in Oracle’s cloud. Oracle has been beefing up things like confidential computing and data isolation for AI. If there’s a session like “Secure Your AI: Data Encryption and Privacy in OCI GenAI”, that’s worth it – you’ll hear how Oracle ensures that one customer’s AI data doesn’t leak into another’s (a not-so-subtle differentiation from how some suspect other clouds handle your AI training data). Database geeks (said lovingly) – don’t miss anything about High Availability and New Features in Oracle DB. E.g., “Deep Dive: Oracle Database AI Vector Search internals” or “Performance Tuning for 23ai – Tips for DBAs”. That’s where you get the real meat of how to implement these features without killing your system’s performance. Oracle’s Juan Loaiza or Andy Mendelsohn (if he’s there) might do a Q&A or panel; those are great to ask tough questions (these guys are legends in Oracle database world). Also, check if there’s a Red Hat OpenShift session (since Red Hat is present) – something about running containers on OCI with OpenShift for large workloads[65]. If your shop uses Red Hat, that integration session could be quite practical. And a sleeper hit could be “Oracle Enterprise Manager with AI Ops” – Oracle might show how they’re embedding AI into monitoring tools (auto-detect anomalies, etc.). Boring title, but useful content for SRE types. Lastly, swing by the NVIDIA sessions within the conference (NVIDIA has many, as we saw[84][85]). For instance, “Train Faster, Scale Smarter: Why Advanced AI Models Are Trained on OCI”[86] – that’s basically NVIDIA and Oracle jointly bragging, but also teaching you how to architect for massive training. Or “Build AI Research Agents for Enterprise Data with NVIDIA and OCI”[87][88] – sounds like a hands-on about RAG (Retrieval Augmented Generation) using Oracle’s data and NVIDIA tools. Those sessions will likely provide concrete guidance on bridging Oracle tech with open-source AI frameworks (NVIDIA folks often talk about their NeMo, RAPIDS, etc., which can run on OCI). If you’re an infrastructure nerd, hearing from NVIDIA solution architects about optimizing GPU utilization on OCI is catnip.

What to Skip: If you’re deeply technical, you might skip the fluffy visionary sessions (except maybe Larry’s, which is entertainment). The executive panels where CEOs of Oracle customers chat on stage – those are usually high on platitudes, low on actionable info. For example, if there’s a fireside like “The Future of Work with AI – panel of HR leaders”, you have our blessing to use that time elsewhere, unless corporate philosophy is your jam. Also, the “AI Ethics” or “DEI in AI” type sessions, while important socially, probably won’t help you optimize your network or database (attend if you have interest, but otherwise, reading an article summary later might suffice). Another skip: too-basic how-to sessions. By this I mean things like “How to create an Oracle Cloud instance – for beginners.” The audience at AI World skews toward people already in the ecosystem; you likely know the basics, so don’t sit through what is essentially a tutorial for newbies. Check the session abstract; if it reads like an intro, and you’re beyond that, move on. Similarly, any session that looks like a pure marketing showcase for a partner solution (e.g., some Oracle partner talking about their product with Oracle – unless you use that exact product, it’s often a thinly veiled sales pitch). One more: the interactive games/experiences in the Hub. Fun as “AI foosball” or the “AI Industry Adventure” might be, you can probably skip these if your main goal is learning deployment techniques (though, no judgement if you want to try the VR theme park game after a long day, just know it’s more fun than educational). In short, prioritize the sessions where you learn how things work and how to implement or troubleshoot. Skip the ones where people just talk about how great it will be.

For Investors and Industry Analysts

Must-Watch: You’re here for the big picture, strategic insights, and any hints of financial impact. So, do not miss the Opening Keynote (Larry Ellison’s) and also Mike Sicilia’s keynote. These will contain the vision and possibly metrics. Larry, in particular, might drop tidbits like “we have X hundred customers using our GenAI service already” or “Oracle’s AI pipeline deal volume is $Y million” – exactly the kind of stuff that goes into analyst notes. Also, pay attention to Safra Catz if she shows up in any capacity. Interestingly, Safra (Oracle’s CEO) isn’t listed in main keynotes publicly, but if there’s an earnings or investor session (sometimes Oracle hosts an Analyst Summit alongside – check your invites), definitely attend that. It could be a closed-door session with Oracle’s CFO or Safra where they talk roadmap in financial terms. If none is offered, then keynotes and any “Executive Q&A” sessions are your proxy. Furthermore, Oracle often holds an Investor Briefing around these events (the search snippet showed something on Sept 22 titled “AI Changes Everything” webcast[70]). If they rebroadcast or recap that at AI World, tune in. Beyond keynotes, any session featuring Oracle’s top execs like Juan Loaiza, Clay Magouyrk, or Steve Miranda could be telling. They might not speak to Wall Street directly, but they often reveal strategy in their talks. For example, Clay might casually mention “we expect to quadruple our GPU capacity by next year” – that’s a growth indicator[16]. Or Steve Miranda might say “every Fusion app customer will get an AI upgrade for free” – which has margin implications. These are the nuggets you’re seeking. Also, attend panels that have big customer logos speaking. Why? Because hearing why a Fortune 500 chose Oracle AI can validate Oracle’s go-to-market traction. If, say, Bank of America’s CTO (just a hypothetical) is on stage saying they’re partnering with Oracle for AI, that’s significant – it means Oracle is winning marquee accounts. As an analyst, you’ll want to note which marquee customers are name-dropped as using Oracle’s AI services. Another must: wander the expo floor for chatter. You’d be surprised – casual convos with Oracle product managers or partners can give color on which products are hot vs. hype. Ask a PM, “So how many customers are actually trialing this GenAI thing?” – they might not give an exact number, but their reaction can hint if it’s dozens or hundreds. Also, observe the crowd’s reactions in keynotes: did a particular announcement get applause or look like a dud? That’s immediate market feedback from Oracle’s user base. Last but not least, if Oracle’s CFO (Safra Catz) or Chief Corporate Architect Edward Screven appears anywhere, be there. Screven sometimes talks about technology direction with an eye on competition, which helps understand Oracle’s long-term bets. And Safra, if she speaks, will likely emphasize customer adoption and how these innovations translate to revenue (she’s very bottom-line focused). In sum: stick to high-level sessions with strategic info, metrics, and customer evidence.

What to Skip: You can skip pretty much any deep technical session that goes into code or configuration (unless you have a personal interest). Hearing about the nitty-gritty of AI model tuning on OCI isn’t going to move the stock price (unless a massive flaw is revealed, which is doubtful in a public session). So, that three-letter soup session on “OCI AI SDK for Python” – let the developers handle that. Also, skip the hands-on labs and certification training; those are for practitioners, not your domain. You’d be bored and it’s not info you need for financial analysis. Another skip: the sponsor booths’ gimmicks. As tempting as swag and games are, your time is better spent in private meetings or gathering info. (Though grabbing a free NVIDIA-branded toy for the kids back home never hurt anyone – just maybe don’t spend two hours at the swag line). The After Dark party (Def Leppard concert) – okay, as an investor relations person you might actually want to be there, but more to network in a relaxed environment. If you do go, resist the urge to corner a tipsy Oracle exec and grill them about next quarter’s cloud revenue – that’s neither the time nor the place (and Regulation FD still applies at the bar, folks!). Instead, use it to build rapport casually. But if partying isn’t your scene, you’re not missing “information” by skipping the concert (aside from seeing if Larry plays guitar – which, who knows, he might cameo with the band given his flair). Also, any session with a title like “Convince Your Boss: Why invest in AI” – you can skip, you are the boss or speak to bosses, and you’re already convinced AI is important, you want to know how Oracle’s leveraging it.

In short, focus on sessions that provide strategic substance over technical form. You want to leave AI World armed with insight on: Oracle’s competitive positioning (did they show they’re ahead, behind, or just keeping pace?), customer adoption (names and numbers), and future roadmap commitments (deliverables and timelines). If you filter sessions with those criteria, your schedule might be mostly keynotes and a few select breakouts – and that’s okay. Quality over quantity. And remember, you can get a briefing from Oracle’s IR team on the finer points later; your unique advantage on-site is to glean the mood and unspoken signals of the event that numbers alone won’t tell you.

Bottom line for all attendees: prioritize what’s meaningful for your goals, and don’t feel guilty skipping the rest. With the sheer volume of content, smart curation is key. And whether you’re there to code, to architect, or to evaluate Oracle’s market promise, there’s something for you – just avoid the trap of trying to do everything or sitting in a session that doesn’t speak to you just out of FOMO. There’s plenty else to do (including self-care, like hydrating after that third coffee or stretching your legs by exploring the Strip a bit – mental refresh is important!).

Star Power: Big-Name Speakers and (Possible) Surprise Guests

One thing is clear: Oracle has assembled a roster of heavy-hitters for AI World 2025, mixing its top internal leaders with some industry names. Here’s a rundown of notable figures you’ll see on stage, and why they matter (with our snarky commentary in tow):

• Larry Ellison (Oracle Chairman & CTO): The man, the myth, the legend. Larry is Oracle’s co-founder and long-time CEO turned CTO, and at 79 he’s still the charismatic (and sometimes controversial) face of the company[89][90]. He’s known for flamboyant keynotes, competitive trash-talk (he’s compared Oracle’s tech to Amazon’s like a dozen times on record), and grand visions of the future. Expect him to set the tone that Oracle is aiming to lead the AI revolution for enterprises. Larry’s presence is also a signal to investors: he rarely misses an opportunity to pitch Oracle’s strategy to the world himself. Fun fact: beyond tech, Larry is a yacht racer who literally won the America’s Cup and owns an island in Hawaii – so if he makes an sailing metaphor about navigating the “AI seas,” now you know why. We anticipate at least one zinger from him aimed at a rival (if he doesn’t mention Amazon’s “Redshift” or Snowflake in some dismissive way, it’ll be a tame year). Love him or not, Larry’s segment is usually a mix of visionary and brash that’s uniquely entertaining. (Snarky sub-thought: If the conference had a drinking game for buzzwords, you’d definitely chug when Larry says “an autonomous system” or “zero data loss” or any phrase followed by “better than Amazon” in parentheses.)
• Safra Catz (Oracle CEO) – MIA?: Notably absent from the published keynote list is Safra Catz, Oracle’s CEO since 2014 (after Larry stepped down). Safra is known for being the financial and operational brain, and she usually speaks at Oracle’s analyst events or earnings calls, not always on the tech keynotes. It seems for AI World, Oracle is letting the product folks take center stage. It could be a calculated move – keep the message focused on technology, not finance. However, don’t be surprised if Safra pops up briefly (maybe to introduce Larry or at least wave to the crowd) or is involved in investor meetings on the sidelines. If you’re an attendee who cares about Oracle’s corporate strategy, the lack of Safra on stage means the keynotes will be product-heavy. But behind the scenes, you can bet she’s there meeting big customers and ensuring Oracle gets POs signed (she’s reputed to be a killer deal-closer).
• Mike Sicilia (EVP Industries, Oracle – listed as “CEO, Oracle” in agenda): We talked about the odd title thing – yes, the site literally calls him Chief Executive Officer, Oracle[2], which confused everyone. For clarity, Mike’s role is overseeing Oracle’s industry-specific applications (Oracle has units for healthcare, finance, utilities, etc., largely stemming from acquisitions like Cerner). So why is he giving the opening AI keynote? Likely because he can tell the story of AI in real business contexts. Sicilia has been pivotal in embedding AI into those vertical apps. For instance, Oracle’s complete revamp of the healthcare electronic records (EHR) came from Oracle Health (Cerner) under his broad purview – and that new EHR is full of AI agents[13][63]. Mike is relatively unknown outside Oracle circles, but internally he’s a big deal (some say a rising star). We expect his style to be more measured, highlighting customer success examples. Don’t anticipate stand-up comedy or rockstar vibes; do anticipate statements like, “AI is not just tech for tech’s sake – it’s driving outcomes in healthcare, in finance…” and then dropping names (perhaps “at XYZ Bank, AI reduced loan processing time by 30%”). Sicilia’s presence signals Oracle’s customer-centric framing of AI – he’ll likely hand off to a couple of those customers during his talk. Snark-wise: It’s kind of funny Oracle gave two execs the title “CEO” on the agenda (Mike and Clay) perhaps to elevate their perceived stature. But hey, if everyone’s a CEO, no one is, right? We’ll just call him Mr. Sicilia and see if he delivers a CEO-level address.
• Clay Magouyrk (President, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure): Clay is the tech whiz kid (well, he’s in his 30s/40s now, so not kid, but compared to Oracle’s greybeards, he’s younger) who built OCI from scratch after Oracle’s first attempt at cloud flopped. Promoted to lead OCI, Clay has huge responsibility – Oracle’s entire cloud future (and now AI future) rides on his team’s work. On stage, Clay tends to be technical but amiable. He might wear a developer hoodie rather than a suit, to keep that engineer ethos. Clay will speak to the tech audience and the cloud skeptics. He’ll emphasize things like performance stats, new capabilities (as detailed earlier), and probably bring on a partner like NVIDIA or customer with a big workload to validate OCI. One thing to note: Clay gave a keynote at Oracle’s last CloudWorld and dropped lines about OCI’s network being the only one of its kind, etc. – so expect some subtle jabs at AWS or Azure on technical grounds (like “some clouds use old networks – we built ours for AI from the ground up” type of vibe). He also has to reassure Oracle’s own traditional customer base that OCI is enterprise-grade and not just for flashy AI startups. So watch him toggle between “we power cutting-edge AI startups doing trillions of inferences”[59][91] and “we meet bank-grade security and compliance”. It’s a tough balancing act, but Clay’s one of the best people to do it, given his depth. If Oracle were Star Wars, Clay is kind of Luke Skywalker to Larry’s Obi-Wan – carrying the new hope. We’ll see if he wields the Force convincingly on stage.
• Juan Loaiza (EVP Oracle Database) & T.K. Anand (EVP Oracle Analytics/Health): This tag-team showcases Oracle’s brain trust in data. Juan Loaiza is an Oracle legend – he’s been with the company forever (since the ’80s, I believe) and is effectively the godfather of the Oracle Database. When he speaks, it’s usually to unveil serious tech (like Exadata features, database versions, etc.). Expect Juan to bring gravitas. He might be the one to utter phrases like “we’re renaming Oracle Database 23c to 23ai” (which he indeed said in a press release[9]). Juan will likely focus on the database innovations – expect him to nerd out (in a good way) about how Oracle’s DB can now do AI searches, how it integrates with Python, how it ensures transactional integrity even with AI operations, etc. He’ll also slip in Oracle’s philosophy: that you don’t need a separate stack for AI data – Oracle can do it all in one platform[92][56]. T.K. Anand complements him by adding the analytics and industry angle. T.K. came from Microsoft years ago (he worked on Power BI there) and has been leading Oracle Analytics Cloud and now Oracle’s industry apps (healthcare specifically). He’s likely to cover how AI makes analytics more accessible (think: describing charts with natural language, etc.) and mention that Oracle’s analytic tools now integrate LLMs to allow “ask a question, get an answer” style interactions. Given his healthcare portfolio, don’t be surprised if T.K. talks about the Oracle Health EHR and its AI – which would reinforce Oracle’s case study of AI in critical workloads[13][63]. Both Juan and T.K. are more understated speakers compared to, say, Larry or even Clay. They’ll appeal to the practitioners in the audience who appreciate substance. In sum: they’re the ones giving the “here’s how it actually works” credibility to Oracle’s AI story. For any tech media or analysts, these two on stage indicate Oracle’s serious about convincing the technical community, not just doing high-level fluff.
• Steve Miranda (EVP Applications) & Simon Walker (EVP Industry Apps): Steve is essentially the mastermind behind Oracle’s Fusion Applications (ERP, HCM, etc.) for decades. If anyone can speak to how AI can automate financial closes or help HR hire better, it’s Steve. He’s a steady, clear communicator – expect him to show real demos of AI in Oracle’s SaaS apps. For example, Steve might demo an AI assistant drafting a supplier risk report in Oracle Procurement Cloud, or an AI recommending a sales strategy in Oracle CX. He’s also likely to invite a customer or two on stage who have tested these AI features (maybe an early adopter company that joined Oracle’s beta). Simon Walker, who is relatively less known externally, runs industry-specific applications (like Oracle has special modules for telecom, banking, etc.). Simon might showcase how, say, an AI algorithm optimized a supply chain for a manufacturing customer, or how AI is used in a utility company to predict outages. In the keynote description, they explicitly mention Simon as a “special guest” and peers sharing stories[21] – so his role might be to moderate a little customer panel or fireside chat within the keynote, extracting from customers how the AI features helped them. Together, Steve and Simon bring the enterprise application credibility: it’s one thing to talk about AI models, but these guys will talk about business outcomes. Investors in the crowd will perk up here – because if Oracle can show that AI features are driving customers to upgrade or adopt more modules, that’s revenue. Also, Steve Miranda is known for not sugarcoating too much; if something is a work in progress, he might hint at it. Analysts often read between his lines. So it’ll be interesting if he says “we plan to roll these features out over the next year” (which implies they’re not all ready) versus “these features are available now for customers” (implies maturity). Watch his phrasing. For attendees who use Oracle apps, Steve’s word is gospel on where their software is headed. So these speakers are key for the customer base to buy into Oracle’s AI push on the app side.
• Notable Oracle Engineering Leaders: Oracle’s agenda also lists many featured speakers beyond the headliners – often VPs and SVPs across product areas. A few names to watch if they pop up:
  • Andrew Mendelsohn (Oracle EVP, Database Server Technologies) – basically Juan’s counterpart focusing on core database development. If he speaks in any session, that’s a treat for DBAs – he’s deep in the tech.
  • Greg Pavlik (SVP, AI and Data Services, OCI) – he was quoted in press releases about GenAI[93]. If Greg is running a session on OCI AI, that will be a technical but forward-looking discussion (he might talk about future enhancements and design choices).
  • Wim Coekaerts (VP Linux and Virtualization) – historically an Oracle Linux/Kubernetes guru. With OCI, he might talk about infrastructure or containerization for AI. Relevant if you care about the under-the-hood stuff.
  • Karan Batta (VP OCI AI Services) – one of the faces of OCI’s AI offerings. If he’s presenting, expect detailed insight on how customers use OCI’s AI, maybe reference architectures.
  • Jacki Montgomery or Hermant Bharat (just guessing from Oracle’s AI PM team) – sometimes PMs present cool use cases or customer stories in breakouts.
  • Industry Guest Speakers (Customers/Partners): While Oracle hasn’t advertised external celebrity keynote speakers (unlike, say, some conferences have Elon Musk or a famous author), they do have plenty of customers and partners speaking in sessions. Some notable ones gleaned from the agenda and partner marketing:
  • Accenture, Deloitte, KPMG, PwC Leads: The big consulting firms are all global sponsors[94] and have session slots. They often bring their practice leaders or even a client co-presenter. For example, PwC has a session with client speakers on automating financial close with AI[74]. These might not be headline-grabbing names, but they’re important because they endorse Oracle’s approach to AI in front of Oracle’s customers (and sometimes they subtly advertise their own services, but that’s the dance).
  • Red Hat’s Speaker: Red Hat has a presence (session on running OpenShift on OCI for large workloads[65]). The fact Red Hat (IBM-owned) is on stage with Oracle is notable in itself (cooperation in multicloud). The Red Hat speaker might be their cloud solutions architect talking technical details. For IT audiences, this is a sign that Oracle is open to non-proprietary solutions.
  • Cohere Representative: If Oracle is smart, they’ll have someone from Cohere (the AI startup they partner with) speak, at least in a panel. Possibly Martin Kon (Cohere’s president, who was quoted in the Oracle PR[95]) could appear via video or stage, echoing how great OCI is for training models. Not confirmed, but we’d love to see it to validate that partnership beyond press releases.
  • Google Cloud Representative: This might be wishful thinking – since Oracle and Google Cloud just announced a partnership, having a Google Cloud exec appear would hammer that home. Perhaps Thomas Kurian (Google Cloud CEO, ironically an ex-Oracle exec) could send a congratulatory video. If he did live, the universe might implode (Oracle and Google on one stage?!). More realistically, maybe an engineering VP from Google’s Vertex AI team could join Clay’s keynote. No indication of it so far, so this might not happen publicly (they might save joint stuff for a separate event).
  • NVIDIA Experts: We’ve already seen the NVIDIA lineup for Oracle AI World – a dozen of their experts giving talks[96][85]. Not exactly “guest keynote” but certainly notable. Also, NVIDIA is a premier sponsor, meaning they paid big bucks to be front-and-center[97]. So expect to see NVIDIA’s branding everywhere and their folks on stage frequently in breakouts. If Jensen Huang doesn’t show, NVIDIA might still send a higher-up (perhaps an NVIDIA VP for enterprise) to appear briefly in an Oracle session to reaffirm the partnership.
  • Customers like : It’s a bit of guesswork, but Oracle’s site had hints (like Oracle’s marketing materials often mention customers such as Uber, Co-op UK, Nomura Research Institute using 23ai DB[9][98], or startups like Fireworks AI, Numenta on OCI[78][79]). Possibly reps from some of these might speak. For instance, maybe Uber’s tech lead might join an AI panel talking about using Oracle Cloud (Uber was quoted about generative AI with Oracle[76]). Or a healthcare partner hospital talking about the new EHR (University of Missouri’s dean was quoted in PR[77] – maybe someone from there speaks in a healthcare session). These aren’t “celebs,” but if you’re in those industries, hearing peers is valuable.

The lack of superstar outsider speakers (like no mention of an Elon, no Malala or celebrity motivational speaker that some conferences have) suggests Oracle wanted to keep it tightly focused on tech content and customer evidence, not general inspiration. Depending on your perspective, that’s either a missed opportunity to jazz things up or a relief that we won’t have to endure a loosely relevant fireside about “the future of humanity” that doesn’t mention Oracle at all.

Any Surprise Guest Possibilities: We touched on Jensen (NVIDIA CEO) and maybe Thomas Kurian (Google Cloud) as possible surprises. Another outside chance: Oracle sometimes has sports figures or similar appear (especially since they sponsor a lot of tennis, sailing, etc.). Given the Def Leppard entertainment, I doubt any athlete appearances in keynotes – that would clash theme-wise. One intriguing thought: could Oracle bring a government official on stage to talk about AI policy? Oracle’s been involved in secure cloud for government. Perhaps someone like a former DoD or current US Govt tech official might speak on public sector use of AI with Oracle. This is pure speculation; no sign of it publicly. But if, say, the head of some government cybersecurity agency popped in, it would underscore Oracle’s strength in secure infrastructure. We did see mention of “AI Factories for U.S. Federal Government” in an NVIDIA session title[99][100] – which hints maybe a U.S. Federal client story. If a Department of Defense rep quietly speaks in a breakout about an AI project on OCI, that would be a huge credibility marker (though likely behind closed doors if at all).

All in all, the star power at Oracle AI World is mostly Oracle itself and its ecosystem. Oracle is relying on its top execs to carry the narrative, supported by big-name partners (NVIDIA, etc.) and real customers. While that might not generate mainstream media buzz like an Elon cameo would, it’s targeted to the enterprise audience that cares about substance over celebrity. The lack of a publicity stunt speaker (no Hollywood actor or bestselling author here) tells us Oracle knows this crowd: they’d rather see a demo of a product than a philosophical talk from someone unrelated to tech.

One more thing: Ellison and Surprise Demos. Larry Ellison sometimes does a live demo or “one more thing” at the end. In past events, he’s unveiled, say, a new interface or an unplanned announcement. If there is a surprise, it might come from him. For example, maybe he’ll demonstrate a conversation with Oracle’s AI agent spanning multiple applications live on stage (and hopefully it doesn’t break – live demos can be risky). If something fails, well, we tech commentators will have a field day on social media. But if it succeeds, it could be a highlight that shows the tech working in real time.

In summary, expect a parade of Oracle’s top brass and a chorus of partner/customer voices echoing the message: Oracle is serious about AI. The event might lack an outside celebrity keynote, but within the enterprise tech sphere, folks like Larry Ellison and Juan Loaiza are celebrities. (In DBA world, Loaiza is like a rockstar – minus the guitar, plus a slide rule.) The mixed cast of speakers – cloud engineers, database gurus, app leaders, partners, and customers – is intentional. Oracle wants to position itself at the intersection of all these domains, and it’s using these voices to tell that story from every angle.

Will there be true surprise guests? Our guess: nothing crazy that hasn’t been hinted (so likely no Tim Cook or Satya crashing the party). The agenda is packed and public. The biggest “surprise” might be a new product we didn’t foresee or a partner announcement live on stage. For example, Larry bringing out Jensen Huang spontaneously would set Twitter aflame in tech circles – but short of that, the content of the talks themselves will carry the surprises (like unveiling that AI Agent Studio or showing an unannounced feature).

To wrap this up: the star power is there if you know where to look – it’s in the ideas and announcements as much as in the people delivering them. And frankly, if one of those demos shows Oracle’s tech doing something genuinely jaw-dropping, that will be the real star moment of the show.

Our Snarky Conclusion (Why It Matters)

So, what can attendees and observers expect from Oracle AI World 2025? In a nutshell: a rollercoaster of enterprise tech optimism, AI product announcements, and a few eye-roll-inducing marketing buzzwords – all delivered with Oracle’s unique blend of engineering bravado and Vegas-style showmanship. This conference is Oracle’s bid to firmly re-establish itself among the top tier of tech giants, this time as an AI player. By covering everything from deep technical toolkits to high-level business vision, they’re trying to please both the hoodie crowd and the suit crowd simultaneously.

From a snarky commentator’s perspective, it’s equal parts impressive and ambitious. Impressive, because Oracle truly has transformed itself in recent years – it’s no longer just “that database company.” It now runs a substantial cloud (boasting stats like “over 16K GPUs in a cluster” for AI[16]) and claims numerous big-name customers are using its AI and cloud services. Oracle handles massive mission-critical workloads worldwide – from banks to grocers to governments. If you peel back the hype, there’s real tech prowess: their new database features, the GPU infrastructure, the integrated suite of business apps – it’s an empire of enterprise tech that processes unfathomable amounts of data (to throw in one of their favorite metrics: I wouldn’t be surprised if Larry mentions something like “Oracle Cloud manages hundreds of petabytes of data and runs billions of transactions per hour”). Ambitious, because now Oracle wants to be seen not just as a reliable enterprise vendor, but as a cutting-edge innovator leading in AI, challenging the likes of AWS, Microsoft, and Google head-on in the most hyped domain of our time. That’s a lot to take on. Oracle is basically saying: we can do cloud infrastructure, we can do databases, we can do SaaS apps, and we can do AI all integrated. It’s a “we do everything” story – which invites skepticism. Jack of all trades, master of all? Oracle will argue yes, they are masters of the integrated stack. But the jury (market) will be watching to see if all these plates Oracle’s spinning (AI, cloud, DB, apps) stay in the air.

For enterprise customers, AI World will offer plenty of tangible takeaways: new features to evaluate, maybe beta programs to join, and reassurance that investing in Oracle isn’t investing in a dinosaur but in a forward-looking partner. If you run Oracle applications, you’ll come away knowing what AI enhancements you’ll get in the next upgrades (e.g., AI suggestions in your workflows). If you use Oracle’s database, you’ll learn how it can power AI-driven apps without needing a whole new tech stack. If you’re considering cloud, you’ll have Oracle’s case for OCI’s performance and cost benefits (sprinkled with partner validation like NVIDIA and customer stories). And if you’re concerned about security or sovereignty, they’ll have addressed that too with their “smallest sovereign footprint” concept – implying you can run Oracle’s AI cloud anywhere securely[15].

For developers and architects, beyond the marketing, there will be new toys and tools. Oracle launching an AI agent framework or code assistant means more things to try out. General availability of services means you can actually get hands-on rather than just hear promises. Many devs historically have been wary of Oracle for being closed or expensive; Oracle’s clearly trying to change that narrative (embracing open-source models, offering always-free tiers in Autonomous DB, etc. as noted in their 23ai announcement[101]). If Oracle can win mindshare of developers with some slick tech (imagine Oracle’s vector database plus an easy Python API to do AI retrieval – could be neat[102]), that’s a win for them. We’ll see if the conference content resonates on that level.

For investors and industry analysts, AI World is a barometer of Oracle’s execution and credibility in this hottest of markets. Oracle’s stock had a strong run earlier when its cloud growth numbers went up and it hyped AI on earnings calls (Larry literally said on an earnings call that demand for Oracle’s AI cloud was “insane” and outstripping supply). Events like this need to back up those claims with evidence. Did we hear real customer adoption numbers? Did Oracle demonstrate that it’s not just talking AI because everyone is, but that it has competitive offerings? The presence of heavy hitters (NVIDIA, etc.) on stage[44][103] is partly to reassure Wall Street: look, we have allies and we’re not doing this alone. Also, any improvement in Oracle’s story around developer ecosystem (traditionally a weak spot vs. AWS/Azure) will matter – for example, if post-event we see more blog posts and GitHub projects around Oracle’s AI services, that’s a subtle but important shift. Investors will be parsing Larry and Clay’s words for hints of cloud revenue trajectory, GPU capacity investments, and maybe how Oracle plans to monetize these AI features (are they included, or extra-cost? Oracle loves its licensing, so that’s a question).

Culturally, it’s fascinating to see Oracle – a company founded in the 1970s – reinvent its flagship event to focus on the trend of 2020s. It shows even giants must adapt or fade. There’s an undercurrent narrative: “Oracle’s relevance in the next era”. AI World is Oracle loudly declaring “we are relevant!” and trying to prove it live. The snarky side of me is ready to poke holes if the event is mostly marketing fluff with scant substance. But given Oracle’s legacy of engineering, I suspect there will be substantial announcements. The challenge for Oracle will be to keep it real: tech audiences can smell pure hype a mile away. If every other word is “AI” but nothing new is really shown, they’ll get called out. If, however, they show cool demos (perhaps an AI agent executing a complex business process across multiple Oracle systems in seconds, something that used to take hours) – that could generate genuine excitement, not just Oracle PR-approved excitement.

One thing I can safely predict: buzzword overdose. Oracle’s marketing folks have likely been in a frenzy to label everything “AI” or “Autonomous” or “Intelligent” where they can. There’s even a joke going around that at AI World, the hotel coffee might be rebranded “Autonomous Java” (get it, Java?) and have an AI algorithm decide when you’ve had enough caffeine. I’m only half kidding. So yes, bring your AI-buzzword bingo cards. Squares you can immediately fill: “Generative AI”, “Agentic AI” (Oracle’s new favorite term from that EHR press release[13]), “Autonomous”, “Mission-critical”, “Transformational”, “End-to-end”, “Integrated”, “Secure”, “Multi-cloud”, “OCI Supercluster” (drink twice for that one). The over/under on how many times Larry says “AI” in his keynote? I’d set it at 50. Any takers?

In the end, beyond the snark, Oracle AI World 2025 truly does matter for the industry. It’s a bellwether for how legacy tech companies can pivot to the AI age. If Oracle pulls it off and shows meaningful innovation, it will validate that incumbents can indeed reinvent themselves (and customers have more choices in AI cloud than just the Big 3 hyperscalers). If it falls flat, it’ll be a cautionary tale of branding overshoot.

We’ll be watching closely – with a bowl of popcorn in hand and sarcasm at the ready on social media – to see if Oracle AI World lives up to its hype. Will Oracle demonstrate that it can bridge the old and new – connecting decades of data and processes with cutting-edge AI – or will it mostly be marketing glitz playing catch-up to rivals? Probably a bit of both. Either way, it’s going to be interesting, and yes, entertaining.

What happens in Vegas might not stay in Vegas this time – it might echo through the enterprise tech world in the form of new AI-powered products and a reinvigorated Oracle. Or, at the very least, we’ll get a memorable rock concert and a bunch of techies singing “Pour Some Sugar on Me” ironically while pondering vector databases. And honestly, that alone makes it worth the preview.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go charge my devices for a week of live-tweeting. Oracle AI World 2025 is coming in hot, and we’ll find out soon if Oracle can truly “power your business with AI” or if they’re just riding the hype train. Stay tuned – the future of enterprise AI might just be being pitched to us live from a Las Vegas stage next week. Game on, Oracle.

Sources:

·      Oracle AI World 2025 official agenda and event site[104][105][3]

·      Oracle press release on rebranding CloudWorld to AI World[1]

·      Keynote speaker details (Oracle executives and themes)[89][21]

·      Oracle Database 23ai announcement (vector search, AI in DB)[9][56]

·      Oracle partnership with Google Cloud to offer Gemini models (OCI GenAI service)[18][19]

·      Oracle press on AI startups using OCI (GPU cluster performance claims)[106][16]

·      Oracle EHR press release (AI agents in healthcare)[13][63]

·      Oracle AI World “The Party” details (Def Leppard live)[48]

·      Oracle AI World Hub page (expo highlights: demos, AI foosball, swag)[35][36]

·      NVIDIA at Oracle AI World (NVIDIA-OCI partnership, sessions)[97][84]

[1] Introducing Oracle AI World—the next evolution of our flagship live event

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[12] [13] [63] Oracle Ushers in New Era of AI-Driven Electronic Health Records

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[18] [19] [51] Oracle to Offer Google’s Gemini Models to Customers, Accelerating Enterprises’ Agentic AI Journeys

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[24] Passes and Pricing | Oracle AI World 2025

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[52] [53] [54] [57] [58] [69] [72] [73] [93] Oracle Offers Powerful Generative AI RAG Agent and Enhanced AI Services to Help Customers Solve Business Problems

https://www.oracle.com/news/announcement/ocw24-oracle-offers-powerful-generative-ai-rag-agent-and-enhanced-ai-services-2024-09-10/

[55] Oracle Named a Market Leader in AI Agents and Conversational AI

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oracle-named-a-market-leader-in-ai-agents-and-conversational-ai-302560509.html

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https://www.oracle.com/news/announcement/ai-innovators-worldwide-choose-oracle-for-ai-training-and-inferencing-2025-06-18/

[64] Oracle invests in Cohere, plans to integrate generative AI tools into ...

https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/oracle-invests-in-cohere-plans-to-integrate-generative-ai-tools-into-its-cloud/

[65] Red Hat at Oracle AI World 2025

https://www.redhat.com/en/events/oracle-aiworld-2025

[66] Oracle and NVIDIA Help Enterprises and Developers Accelerate AI ...

https://www.oracle.com/news/announcement/oracle-and-nvidia-help-enterprises-and-developers-accelerate-ai-innovation-2025-06-12/

[67] Oracle and NVIDIA Collaborate to Help Enterprises Accelerate ...

https://www.oracle.com/news/announcement/oracle-and-nvidia-collaborate-to-help-enterprises-accelerate-agentic-ai-inference-2025-03-18/

[68] Oracle Expands Distributed Cloud Capabilities with NVIDIA AI ...

https://www.oracle.com/news/announcement/oracle-expands-distributed-cloud-capabilities-with-nvidia-ai-enterprise-2025-03-18/

[70] Events and Presentations - Oracle - Investor Relations

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[74] Oracle AI World 2025 - PwC

https://www.pwc.com/us/en/technology/alliances/oracle-implementation/oracle-ai-world.html

[75] Oracle AI World 2025 - Capgemini

https://www.capgemini.com/news/events/oracle-ai-world-2025/

[81] MySQL HeatWave GenAI - Oracle

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[82] [PDF] MySQL HeatWave: Riding the Generative AI and Vector Store ...

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[83] Build Your Own AI-Powered Chatbot Using HeatWave GenAI - Oracle

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