Why enterprise AI needs connected clouds
By Erica Langhi, Associate Principal Solutions Architect, Red Hat
As AI evolves alongside the expansion of cloud computing, it gains significantly enhanced capabilities for storage, processing and data management. Modern enterprises are capitalising on this by strategically integrating resources from on-premises, edge and cloud environments. This vital integration enables the deployment of powerful and efficient AI applications across various settings.
Effective cloud integration also allows organisations to balance the crucial need for data security with the substantial computing power required to train and deploy sophisticated AI models. Achieving this balance is essential for optimising resource utilisation and improving operational efficiency in a cost-effective manner.
The hybrid cloud car analogy
To understand this integration better, think of hybrid cars, which optimise performance and reduce costs by combining electric and traditional fuel systems. Similarly, a hybrid cloud infrastructure positions AI workloads on the best platform. For instance, large language models can leverage the power of the public cloud for training, while sensitive data remains secure on-premises or at the edge.
This flexible approach means organisations can refine and fine-tune models with proprietary data, while remaining secure and legally compliant. The ability to move AI workloads between edge, on-premises and cloud environments as needed, without compromising performance or security, helps organisations harness AI to achieve growth.
The need for trust and transparency
AI’s success hinges on trust, particularly in industries with stringent regulations. Large language models must not only be explainable but also be based on verified proprietary data, ensuring confidence in their outputs. Open source plays a central role in this, providing transparency throughout the AI lifecycle, from data pipelines to model development and deployment.
This transparency extends beyond the models themselves to encompass the data used to train them. Proprietary data from legacy systems is especially valuable for enterprise use cases. By training models on this curated data, organisations can instil confidence that AI outputs are derived from real-world data unique to their operations. For example, training customer service chatbots on years of genuine call transcripts ensures responses reflect real customer conversations, avoiding the pitfalls of generic online dialogues.
The importance of a collaborative ecosystem
The integration of AI with hybrid cloud demands an open and collaborative ecosystem where organisations work together, sharing best practices, data assets and training resources. An open-source mindset helps enterprises to integrate various components of their technology stack, from data pipelines to models, providing a more consistent experience. Breaking down silos between developers, data engineers and IT operations is also crucial for addressing operational challenges effectively. Ultimately, greater collaboration brings more cohesive development, deployment and maintenance of AI models.
Sustainable architecture for AI
With increasing AI adoption, one of the most notable challenges is the significant energy usage associated with training and running AI systems. A hybrid architecture allows workloads to be seamlessly migrated between on-premises, edge and cloud environments to optimise costs over compute, storage and network resources.
A hybrid cloud infrastructure also enhances data management by positioning data pipelines across on-premises, edge, and cloud environments as needed. This reduces latency, improves responsiveness, and allows enterprises to balance cost-efficiency with technical capabilities, supporting the efficient development and deployment of AI models.
This integration is more than just a technological solution – it is a strategic imperative that enables enterprises to innovate and adapt in an interconnected AI landscape. By blending hybrid cloud resources, organisations can fully harness AI’s potential, unlocking new opportunities and ensuring sustainable growth.