At BLUEPRINT 4D 2025, Jeffrey Eberhard, Sales Engineering Leader at Oracle, shared a high-level strategic view of artificial intelligence (AI) adoption. Drawing from his deep background in infrastructure and applications, Eberhard provided practical guidance on how businesses can approach AI in a way that delivers measurable value without falling into the trap of chasing hype.
From Acronyms to Action: Making AI Understandable
Eberhard opened his session by grounding the audience in core AI concepts—clarifying the differences between algorithms, machine learning, large language models (LLMs), natural language processing, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). He also highlighted the importance of concepts like “human in the loop” and “agentic AI,” underscoring the reality that while AI is powerful, it still requires thoughtful governance and human oversight to ensure accuracy and trust.
Why Strategy Matters
One of Eberhard’s strongest messages was that organizations must not “go to the AI grocery store hungry.” In other words, don’t experiment blindly. Just as a chef prepares a menu before shopping, businesses should develop a clear AI strategy before investing in tools or infrastructure. That means identifying use cases with real business impact, setting policies to guide responsible usage, and preparing the technical stack—from data readiness to compute power—to support AI at scale.
Without clear goals and governance, AI initiatives risk wasted investment, data exposure, or employee workarounds. Instead, Eberhard encouraged leaders to start small, show value, and scale thoughtfully, ensuring each success builds momentum for the next initiative.
Data, Governance, and the Tech Foundation
Data, Eberhard emphasized, is the lifeblood of AI. Yet many organizations still face siloed, inconsistent, or unsecured data environments. He urged businesses to invest in strong data governance frameworks, balancing accessibility with security and compliance. Proper governance not only protects sensitive information but also prevents costly mistakes—such as unintended data leaks or AI-driven errors in critical systems like payroll or HR.
On the infrastructure side, Eberhard noted the significant power and hardware demands of AI, from GPU racks to data center readiness. Companies must decide whether their future lies in the cloud, on-premises, or hybrid environments—and make those decisions early, before investing in large-scale projects.
Real-World AI in Action
To illustrate the possibilities, Eberhard highlighted real customer use cases:
- HR automation with Microsoft Teams: One global company built agents inside Teams to manage leave requests, expense submissions, and healthcare questions—reducing HR workload by 93%.
- Invoice processing at speed: A firm replaced manual invoice entry with AI-powered document understanding and Oracle APEX, turning a days-long process into seconds.
- Healthcare claims review: Using AI and machine learning, insurers are improving claim accuracy and efficiency, reducing errors and speeding up approvals.
He also shared examples of defect detection, IT log summarization, and even speech recognition in drive-through restaurants—practical, incremental uses of AI that deliver measurable impact without replacing human workers.
Key Takeaways for Leaders
Eberhard closed with three key lessons for organizations considering AI:
- Have a strategy – Define clear goals, use cases, and governance before investing.
- Engage your workforce – Provide tools, education, and policies that guide responsible AI usage.
- Build the foundation – Prepare your data, governance, and tech stack for sustainable success.
“The best way to predict the future is to create it,” Eberhard reminded the audience. With AI, that means starting small, proving value, and scaling responsibly. By approaching AI with intention and collaboration, organizations can turn hype into tangible business transformation.
Want more?
Explore more content and resources to help you get the most from your Oracle Cloud investment:
- Be sure to check out the BLUEPRINT 4D 2025 Event Hub for presentation slides – available exclusively to Quest members.
- Visit the Quest Learn Library for blogs, how-to demos, and on-demand sessions.
- Connect with peers in one of our Quest Oracle Cloud Community User Groups to swap stories, ask questions, and share tips with other users facing the same challenges.
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