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Techday NZ
4 days ago
- Business
- Techday NZ
Cloudera joins AI-RAN Alliance to boost AI in telecoms sector
Cloudera has joined the AI-RAN Alliance, a global consortium focused on integrating artificial intelligence into telecommunications infrastructure, with particular relevance for service providers in Australia and New Zealand. The AI-RAN Alliance, whose founding members include NVIDIA, also counts Dell, SoftBank, T-Mobile, KT and LG U+ among its participants. The group aims to address the integration of AI within current and emerging telecommunications networks and to standardise the use of AI for optimising shared infrastructure, accelerating edge AI application development, and providing reliable deployment models for AI in telecoms. Cloudera's entry into the alliance follows a period of growing interest among telecommunications providers in using AI to optimise network operations and reduce operational costs. Virtualisation and new infrastructure architectures are key drivers, and AI is seen as an important means of improving service efficiency and enabling new business opportunities for operators. The complexities associated with deploying AI at scale across distributed edge environments present significant challenges for the sector. Telecoms need to take an enterprise-wide approach to operationalise these technologies within the radio access network (RAN) if they are to unlock commercial benefits. As a member of the AI-RAN Alliance, Cloudera will participate in the 'Data for AI-RAN' working group, which is tasked with standardising data orchestration, large language model driven network automation, and hybrid-enabled MLOps across telecommunications and AI workloads. According to the company, this involvement will aim to align data and AI pipeline development with operational requirements, thereby supporting quicker innovation and the deployment of AI-native use cases. Cloudera will also support the Alliance's three stated objectives-AI-for-RAN, AI-and-RAN, and AI-on-RAN-and will work to accelerate the use of AI in real-world scenarios. Potential applications include service level agreement-driven network availability and real-time anomaly detection. The company plans to develop and evaluate reference architectures that telecoms operators can deploy in live environments, facilitating shorter development cycles and improving collaboration around model reusability. Another focus is demonstrating the use of Cloudera's platform for real-time decision-making at the network edge. This will involve enabling scalable preparation of training data and MLOps, as well as operationalising AI inference at scale, while maintaining governance and edge-to-core orchestration. Keir Garrett, Regional Vice President for Cloudera Australia and New Zealand, said, "Joining the AI-RAN Alliance enhances our ability to drive innovation and operational excellence for telecommunications providers across Australia and New Zealand. Leading telcos are already leveraging AI to optimise networks, improve engagement, and streamline operations, with edge computing enabling scalable transformation. Now, we're focused on guiding them through the next phase-unlocking greater value while future-proofing infrastructure. Just as smart highways enhance outdated roads, this shift ensures telcos meet growing user demand with speed, reliability, and adaptability-paving the way for the future of connectivity." Speaking about the company's contribution to the Alliance, Abhas Ricky, Chief Strategy Officer at Cloudera, commented, "Cloudera is proud to bring its data and AI expertise to the AI-RAN Alliance. The network is the heart of the telecom business, both in driving margin growth and in service transformation, and AI can unlock substantial value across those dimensions. Given our leadership in the domain - having powered data and AI automation strategies for hundreds of telecommunications providers around the world, we now look forward to accelerating innovation alongside fellow AI-RAN Alliance members and bringing our customers along. Our goal is to help define the data standards, orchestration models, and reference architectures that will power intelligent, adaptive, and AI-native networks of the future." Jemin Chung, Vice President Network Strategy at KT, said, "We are proud to collaborate with Cloudera and fellow AI-RAN Alliance members in the 'Data for AI-RAN' working group. As AI becomes increasingly central to next-generation networks, the ability to harness data securely and at scale will be a key differentiator. Through this initiative, we look forward to defining best practices that enable AI-centric RAN evolution and improve operational intelligence." Dr Alex Jinsung Choi, Principal Fellow, SoftBank's Research Institute of Advanced Technology, and Chair of the AI-RAN Alliance, said, "Cloudera is an incredible addition to the AI-RAN Alliance, which has grown rapidly as demand for improved AI access and success increases across the industry. The company's leadership in data and AI, combined with their extensive telecommunications footprint, will play a vital role in advancing our shared vision of intelligent, AI-native networks."
Techday NZ
21-05-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
Cloudera unveils AI-powered data visualisation tools for ANZ
Cloudera has announced the release of Cloudera Data Visualisation with expanded AI capabilities for on-premises environments across Australia and New Zealand. The new software integrates AI visualisation and natural language querying features within the Cloudera platform, aimed at enabling businesses and organisations to share insights and collaborate efficiently without undermining data security or governance. Many enterprises face obstacles to effective data visualisation due to fragmented systems, complicated integrations, and challenges with data governance. These issues can result in an incomplete view of data, which may lead to less effective decision-making. Cloudera's latest version addresses these concerns by consolidating visualisation tools and analytics under one platform, supporting both hybrid and multi-cloud deployments. Keir Garrett, Regional Vice President of Cloudera Australia and New Zealand, commented, "As data-driven demands for clarity, agility and compliance grow across businesses in Australia and New Zealand, Cloudera Data Visualisation acts as a powerful business magnifying glass—turning fragmented data into a single source of truth. With AI-powered insights, natural language querying, and intuitive visuals, it empowers non-technical users across industries like finance, healthcare, telco, and professional services to connect the dots, reduce risk, and make faster, smarter decisions that drive impact." Organisations operating in regulated sectors or with specific compliance needs in Australia and New Zealand are expected to benefit from on-premises support, which is designed to unlock value from enterprise data while maintaining data control and compliance standards. Leo Brunnick, Chief Product Officer at Cloudera, said, "As enterprises continue to prioritise both multi-cloud and hybrid environments, they need to see their data as a part of a bigger picture. Bringing together AI-driven insights, secure infrastructure, and seamless collaboration in one unified platform, users can see the missing puzzle pieces of their data, wherever they may be. It's not just about being able to see the data; it's about seeing how it all fits together to deliver business-critical insights." Cloudera Data Visualisation offers a selection of features intended to support business users in visualising and analysing data. These include a drag-and-drop builder for creating graphs and charts, an AI Visual tool for report generation through natural language, and a predictive application builder that incorporates both Cloudera's machine learning models and those from external providers such as Amazon Bedrock, OpenAI, and Microsoft Azure OpenAI. The platform also integrates with Cloudera Shared Data Experience (SDX) to ensure that organisations can work with data securely, without the need to transfer or duplicate information, therefore reducing data security risks. Advanced governance controls further allow businesses to manage how their data is pictured and accessed. Industry analyst Sanjeev Mohan commented on the release, stating, "By integrating directly with Cloudera's unified platform, users benefit from a consistent experience, enhanced collaboration, and full lifecycle data exploration—all while retaining full control over their own infrastructure. Now, Cloudera users can picture and share insights securely within their on-prem environment, allowing their teams to be more agile and informed in their decision-making." According to Cloudera, hybrid cloud adoption is expected to reach USD $329.72 billion by 2030, meaning integrated and compliant solutions such as Cloudera Data Visualisation are gaining importance for data-driven enterprises in the region.
Techday NZ
23-04-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
ANZ firms ramp up AI agent adoption to stay competitive in 2025
Australian and New Zealand organisations are significantly increasing investments in AI agents, with the majority considering such technology essential for maintaining competitiveness, according to new findings from Cloudera's "The Future of Enterprise AI Agents" survey. The survey, which polled nearly 1,500 enterprise IT leaders from 14 countries, highlights that 97% of Australian and New Zealand (ANZ) respondents plan to expand their use of AI agents over the next year. Of this, 91% see investment in agentic AI as crucial for remaining competitive in their respective markets. The research shows that prior investment in generative AI has played a substantial role in preparing ANZ enterprises for the adoption of agentic AI, with 89% indicating that their experience with generative AI has positioned them well for this technology shift. AI agents are increasingly being implemented to support a range of business processes. Popular applications among enterprises globally include performance optimisation bots (66%), security monitoring agents (63%), and development assistants (62%). In ANZ, sector-specific uses are also emerging, reflecting trends within finance, healthcare, telecommunications, manufacturing, and retail. The report identifies several challenges related to the technology. Across ANZ, concerns about AI bias (69%), data privacy (54%), and lack of expertise (38%) persist among organisations as they work towards broader deployment of agentic AI. These concerns are echoed globally, where data privacy (53%), integration with legacy systems (40%), and high implementation costs (39%) are identified as the primary obstacles to adoption. Australian and New Zealand Regional Vice President at Cloudera, Keir Garrett, commented on the survey findings: "AI Agents have the potential to transform the operational landscape of ANZ organisations. Their ability to think, act and adapt at speed doesn't just make processes better, they open up endless opportunities for innovation, smarter data-driven decisions and achieving faster results. But of course, we need guardrails in place." "At Cloudera, we believe that trusted AI starts with trusted data. Our tools help ANZ organisations deploy AI models right where their data lives, keeping data privacy intact and ensuring they stay competitive in today's fast-paced market." Cloudera's research also details how enterprises are integrating AI agents into existing infrastructures. Approximately 66% of organisations report building agents on enterprise AI infrastructure platforms, while 60% use agentic capabilities embedded within core applications. This approach indicates a preference for scalable and secure deployments that operate close to organisational data. Adoption is accelerating, with 57% of enterprise IT leaders globally having implemented AI agents within the past two years. Of these, 21% did so within the last year. The report suggests that organisations often begin with contained, high-impact projects—such as internal IT support agents—before expanding further, as such use cases provide fast returns and build confidence for more extensive deployments. The benefits of agentic AI go beyond automation, with organisations reporting improvements in operational agility, cost efficiency, and customer engagement. According to Abhas Ricky, Chief Strategy Officer at Cloudera: "AI agents have moved beyond experimentation—they're now delivering real automation, efficiency, and business results." "We're seeing enterprises run hundreds of models in production, all demanding high-fidelity, well-managed data to drive better outcomes. In 2025, agentic AI is taking centre stage, building on the momentum of generative AI but with even greater operational impact." "Cloudera is enabling this transformation through a robust Enterprise AI Ecosystem, helping global organisations design secure, scalable, and integrated AI workflows that turn data into action." Industry-specific applications for AI agents in ANZ reflect varied priorities across sectors. In finance and insurance, fraud detection (41%), risk assessment (59%), and portfolio management (41%) are prominent. The manufacturing sector is focusing on process automation (39%), quality control (48%), and inventory management (42%). Healthcare organisations are using AI agents mainly for appointment scheduling (48%), diagnostic assistance (52%), and care coordination (43%). In telecommunications, deployments span customer experience (50%), infrastructure maintenance (50%), performance monitoring (50%), and security monitoring (50%). Gartner has identified Agentic AI as a key technology trend for 2025, suggesting that advances in this area will enable organisations to augment and offload human work, supporting even greater productivity and operational flexibility.
