Cloudera, an organization that has revolutionized big data analytics over the past 15 years, is now empowering businesses to harness the power of their data.
In an exclusive interview with TechDay, Vini Cardoso, chief technology officer (CTO), customer-facing, Cloudera Australia and New Zealand, shared insights into how the company is driving innovation and supporting enterprises in their AI adoption.
“Fifteen years ago, we enabled companies to harness big data and do analytics at scale that they had never been able to do before,” Cardozo explained.
“We provide an enterprise data analytics platform with security and governance to help organizations get the most out of open source technology in a controlled and secure way.”
Cardoso's role is to help organizations design, improve and evolve their data strategies and identify key AI use cases that will deliver business value — an approach that's “critical” as AI adoption explodes.
Australia alone is predicted to spend $6.5 billion on AI by 2026, with 50% of organizations being at least in the early stages of AI adoption.
But many businesses are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of data being generated, which is where Cloudera comes in: making it easier for them to take control of their data analytics.
“We provide a true hybrid data analytics platform that helps transform data into actionable business insights in real time,” Cardoso explains. “For example, Deakin University uses Cloudera to manage 8.8 million events per day to enhance teaching and learning experiences across their campuses.”
But the benefits of Cloudera's technology go beyond academia: Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) is using Cloudera's platform to transform corporate data into innovative business services.
“Through its AI inference services, BNI has been able to improve customer experience and increase operational efficiency,” Cardoso said.
Another notable example is Singapore's OCBC Bank, which is using Cloudera's AI technology to “improve efficiency and customer interactions.”
“It has significantly improved the writing of code for IT teams and the interaction with customers through the AI chatbot, saving a lot of time and effort,” Cardoso says. This also extends to text summarization, helping banks navigate regulatory compliance more efficiently.
Ethical AI is a key focus for Cloudera, especially given the rapid advancements in generative AI and other technologies.
Cardoso emphasized the importance of balancing the benefits of AI with ethical considerations: “Low trust in data and AI continues to impact AI adoption. Developing AI ethics and regulations requires a joint effort between the private and public sectors,” he said.
He advocates for an intentional AI strategy that starts with a clear data strategy.
“A data strategy includes the people, processes, and technology that capture, organize, and leverage data to support business objectives,” Cardoso explains. “Organizations need to understand what they're trying to achieve with AI, lest they miss out on the benefits or, even worse, damage their reputation and customer trust.”
He introduced two key acronyms for a purposeful AI strategy: KYD (Know Your Data) and KYI (Know Your Intent).
“Accurate, consistent, and unbiased data is the foundation of trusted AI,” Cardoso says. “Intentional design ensures that AI systems produce fair, unbiased results that reflect a company's mission and values.”
Cloudera's approach also involves the use of a unified data platform. “In a recent IDG survey, 90% of IT leaders believe that unifying the data lifecycle onto a single platform is important for AI, providing common security and governance and simplifying the data analytics pipeline,” Cardoso explains. This integration allows organizations to securely create and train AI models using their own data.
Cardoso highlighted some common challenges organizations face with AI projects, including balancing the desire to quickly reap the benefits of AI with addressing concerns like mitigating bias and data privacy.
He emphasized the importance of trusted data and intentional design to overcome these challenges: “For example, United Overseas Bank increased revenue and productivity by 20 percent by leveraging Cloudera's modern data platform,” he said.
To accelerate time to value and achieve business outcomes faster, organizations need to invest in a scalable, secure and resilient data architecture.
Cardoso noted that to realize the full benefits of AI, real-time data processing and integration is required. “OCBC Bank Indonesia used Cloudera's hybrid data strategy to integrate data and deliver AI models and personalized recommendations in real time,” he said.
Ethical AI systems require foundational principles of accountability, transparency, and explainability. “Integrating these principles will strengthen trust in AI and improve decision-making,” Cardoso notes. “Organizations need to focus on intent and ensure strong security and compliance throughout the process.”
Cloudera is hosting Evolve 24 conferences around the world, including in Singapore, Dubai, Sao Paulo, New York, Milan, Paris and Madrid.
“Evolve 24 brings together industry leaders and customers to share their experiences with AI and analytics,” says Cardoso. “It's a great opportunity for everyone to learn how AI can empower their organizations.”
Cloudera is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, and has a global presence with offices around the world, including Sydney, Australia, where Cardoso is based.
Cardoso summarized what sets Cloudera apart from its competitors:
“Our passion is helping organizations transform complex data challenges into reality through our platform. We offer a comprehensive data lifecycle platform that can be deployed on-premise, in the cloud, or a hybrid of both,” he explained.
“Our open source technology and enterprise-grade support enable customers to innovate with confidence.”
