Title

AWS re:Invent 2023 - Keynote with Dr. Werner Vogels

Summary

Dr. Werner Vogels discusses the importance of building cost-aware and sustainable architectures in cloud computing.
He reflects on the constraints of pre-cloud days at Amazon and how cloud migration removed physical limitations, allowing for innovation but sometimes neglecting cost considerations.
Vogels emphasizes the need to architect with cost in mind, citing examples like PBS's cloud migration and cost reduction strategies.
He highlights the correlation between cost and sustainability, urging technologists to build more sustainable systems.
The keynote includes a segment where Vogels builds a machine learning model to detect brain hemorrhages in CT scans, demonstrating the accessibility of AWS ML tools.
He introduces new AWS features, including a code editor in SageMaker Studio and the integration of generative AI into AWS services.
The talk concludes with a call to action for builders to leverage technology for good, exemplified by Thorne's use of AWS to combat child sexual abuse.

The shift to cloud computing has enabled unprecedented innovation but also led to a pendulum swing where speed and product delivery sometimes overshadow cost efficiency.
Vogels' experience as CTO of Amazon highlights the importance of aligning cost with revenue models and the necessity of continuous cost optimization.
The keynote underscores the potential of AWS machine learning tools to solve real-world problems, as demonstrated by Vogels' personal project on brain hemorrhage detection.
AWS is committed to integrating AI into its services, as seen with the introduction of the code editor in SageMaker Studio and the AWS Q service, which aims to assist developers in building on AWS.
The talk showcases how AWS services can be used for social good, with Thorne's use of AWS to detect and report child sexual abuse material as a powerful example.
Vogels' message is clear: technology should be a force for good, and AWS provides the tools for builders to create impactful solutions while being mindful of cost and sustainability.