The integration of artificial intelligence in operations with cloud as the enabling platform is critical for the future and survival of businesses, said Cascadeo, the Globe Group's elite cloud-managed and professional services company.

Cascadeo's founder and chief technology officer, Jared Reimer, emphasized the significance of these technologies in two insightful podcast interviews.

"You need to be cloud first. You need to be cloud native. You need to build cloud muscle memory and skill, either in-house or with a partner, because that is the foundation for all of the enterprise AI that's to come," he said during his appearance on the Enterprise Podcast Network, as he pointed out the inevitable surge in cloud adoption driven by the complexities and demands of AI.

Reimer added that the scenario is especially true as AI platforms, particularly generative AI, are built on top of the cloud as its foundation. Cloud migration is imperative in AI adoption, and a company that fails to do both will be at a significant disadvantage.

The importance of a cloud-first approach was echoed in Reimer's discussion on the "I Own It Podcast," hosted by real estate mogul Ben Reinberg. He highlighted that cloud computing has been the biggest disruptor in recent times, and with the advent of generative AI, the landscape is changing even more dramatically.

"In the grand scheme of things, generative AI is the biggest invention of our lifetime. And we haven't even scratched the surface of what will happen next with that," he remarked.

To help enterprises in harnessing these new technologies, Cascadeo has adopted four critical approaches. Its professional services help companies transform to cloud-native instead of migrating existing workloads. Its managed services conduct 24/7 monitoring, care and feeding, quarterly business reviews, security with cost optimization, and mentorship so customers can focus on other aspects of their businesses.

Meanwhile, Cascadeo's resale business supports flexible procurement options for AWS services, catering to diverse customer needs. It also recently introduced Cascadeo AI, a unique Service-as-a-Software (SaaS) solution that integrates generative AI with cloud management. This software analyzes IT system events and generates runbooks for effective decision-making and operational efficiency. Cascadeo AI is a first-of-its-kind product being licensed to companies around the world. Globe makes extensive use of Cascadeo AI for its enterprise clients.

"AI is perhaps the greatest disruptor in history other than electricity. We're at a pivotal point in history, and there's no going back. Radical changes are already happening, and businesses that will embrace AI will have spectacular business advantages across many aspects, from innovation and cost to accuracy and scalability, among others," Reimer said.

Cascadeo's emphasis on AI and cloud-first strategies is not just about keeping pace with technology but about leading and shaping the future of business. Reimer cautions that companies need to be faster in embracing these technologies to avoid committing a significant strategic misstep.

"The problem is if you wait too long to run, it will be too late. So this is one of those things where you must get ahead of the curve. You have to ride the wave as it comes in because if you don't, it will be a fatal error in judgment for many professions and companies, and recovering will be almost impossible," he added.

At the rate AI is developing, "it's only going to get better," with more use cases emerging daily. He also eased concerns that AI adoption may lead to job loss.

"Generative AI is not going to replace you, but it's a force multiplier that lets you accomplish much more work in less time. It often will nudge you or remind you of things you might have forgotten or overlooked or even things you didn't know to ask. So, it's not just that it's faster and cheaper; it's better because it has a broader base of knowledge, and it's less prone to overlook things accidentally in the way that even a smart, competent, experienced human might," he added.