Oracle AI World: From Insight to Action

RPC hit AI World in London, joining Oracle leaders, partners and customers to explore how artificial intelligence is being embedded across enterprise technology – and what that means in practice for organisations like ours using Oracle Construction and Engineering solutions. 

From the opening keynote onwards, the message was clear: AI is no longer a future concept or a bolt-on capability. Oracle is positioning it as a core part of how data, applications and infrastructure work together, with a clear vision for how this technology can enhance, rather than disrupt, the way organisations operate. Technical Manager, Chris Callaghan, had been to Oracle Cloud World seven or eight years ago and it was clear to him how the name change for the event reflects how far the technology has moved on since then. 

A clear vision, clearly communicated 

The event opened with a keynote from Oracle’s Mike Sicilia that resonated strongly with the RPC team. One analogy in particular struck a chord with Chris: ‘AI was compared to the shift from propeller aircraft to jet engines. The mission – the journey – remains the same, but speed, scale and capability are dramatically increased. It’s about expanding what’s possible.’  

This framing helped cut through some of the noise that often surrounds AI. Rather than portraying it as something radical or threatening, throughout the event, Oracle positioned AI as a practical evolution: a better way of doing what organisations already need to do.  

Everyone in the team reflected on the same thing. Rather than focusing on speculative use cases, the sessions, labs and workshops demonstrated how AI is being designed into Oracle’s platforms in a way that is practical, secure and scalable. Technical Director Dave Hurren reiterated how – just like the main event in Las Vegas in October – what stood out was how clear Oracle’s direction is: ‘This isn’t experimental. It’s a deliberate strategy about where AI sits and how it’s used.’ 

From hype to real capability 

One of the most consistent themes was how different AI World felt compared to other conferences. AI wasn’t referenced as a buzzword or added as an afterthought. It was the substance of the event. Sessions demonstrated how Oracle is embedding AI directly alongside data, particularly within the Oracle database itself. This approach stood out to the team as both technically powerful and commercially smart: by placing AI next to the data, Oracle enables secure, governed insight across applications, rather than pushing data out into disconnected tools or bolting it on at the edges. ‘Most vendors are building AI tools that sit outside the data. Oracle’s approach – putting AI directly in the database – felt genuinely different, and genuinely powerful,’ Technical Consultant James McGowan felt. 

For us, this resonated strongly. The ability to apply AI securely, directly to raw data, without unnecessary data movement or duplication, aligns closely with RPC’s emphasis on governance and real-world delivery, simplifying workflows and improving decision-making, without introducing unnecessary risk or potential human error. 

Integration Lead, James Bentley went with two main objectives for the day: ‘Are we making the most out of the technologies that we've already started to use? And are there any additional technologies on the table that we aren't using that we should use? One of the best things I saw was a little stand to do with the Private Agent Factory. It really showed on that side that is new emerging technology, but that we're already at the bleeding edge of it with what we’re already doing. On the other hand, with the technologies we're not using, I found it really useful going to the Apex Labs that I went to with Jethro and seeing both that and the new upcoming features we could definitely use in our own products.’ 

James McGowan was exploring the Private Agent Factory too and was excited to realise that ‘there were people who couldn't even log on, but we're already there using the latest technology that was only given a month ago and we’ve basically been learning on something that will soon be old, and now we've got the new tools that we can progress on.’ 

Security, trust and governance front and centre 

A major theme throughout the event was trust in AI generated insight. Many sessions addressed the very real concerns organisations have around data access, security and governance and this struck a chord with Technical Consultant, Steven Rushworth. ‘There’s still a perception that AI is a security risk. What was reassuring was seeing how seriously Oracle is taking governance, permissions and data protection. There was a lot to take in at the event: a lot of bits that I missed, a lot that I didn’t fully get the context of, and a lot that I didn’t understand. But there was also a lot that I did take in and understand and that I brought away with me, and what Oracle have taken on board about people’s security concerns around AI was a big part of that. There’s a lot of focus in terms of security and I’m really curious to get into it myself, see how it works and how we can use that for our own benefit as well within our business and our customer solutions.’ 

The team were particularly encouraged by Oracle’s emphasis on AI operating within existing permission models, ensuring that AI only has access to the same data a user is entitled to see. This reinforces that AI does not have to compromise security in order to deliver value: a message RPC regularly discusses with its own clients. 

Sharing RPC’s drive for innovation 

We were very honoured to be able to share some of our own technical and customer experiences with delegates at the event as Dave Hurren had the rare opportunity of presenting – alongside DSP, one of our technology partners. ‘This was something that I never thought we'd be able to do. As a small company, it's quite a big thing. It was an engaged audience who all seemed interested in what we had to talk about and it was nice to be able to tell people our technology story and also the direction of where we're going, looking at new AI capability in the future and leveraging the new functionality that Oracle are releasing.’ 

Learning by doing 

While the first day of AI World focused on vision and direction, the second day shifted firmly into hands-on learning. Technical labs allowed attendees to explore emerging technologies directly, experiment with tools, and see what could realistically be built, rather than just hearing about it. 

For Steve, these sessions were some of the most valuable parts of the event. They provided clarity on where RPC is already operating at the leading edge, as well as highlighting new capabilities that could be incorporated into future solutions. ‘The labs were a real highlight. It wasn’t just theory, it was a chance to sit down, experiment and see what’s actually possible.’ James McGowan agreed that this practical exposure helped them identify where RPC is already hitting the spot and where new capabilities could be explored further. ‘It made us ask two important questions: are we getting the most out of what we already use, and are there technologies we should be adopting next?’ 

Steve agreed ‘You got to sit down and basically play, and I felt like a kid again. No instructions, no guidelines, just – here it is, see what you could do with this, see what you can make. I just wish I had more time with it.’ Crucially, though, the learning didn’t stop at the event. Access to Oracle’s online labs means experimentation can continue back at RPC and Technical Consultant Jethro Large and some of the other members of the team who weren’t able to attend Day Two are excited to still have a chance to ‘play’ with the new capabilities now they’re back at their desks. 

A moment of perspective 

One unexpected but powerful moment for Jethro came simply from seeing RPC listed alongside much larger organisations within the Oracle ecosystem on the Award Winners screens at the event, following our Global Partner of the Year Award (Construction and Engineering Industry Solutions) presented at AI World in October. Seeing our logo up on the screen served as a reminder for us all that while RPC is a small consultancy by size, its expertise, innovation and proactive approach place it firmly on the wider Oracle stage. ‘Seeing RPC’s name alongside some of the biggest players really put things into perspective. It made it very real.’ 

Oracle’s message to partners was clear: they are providing the tools and platforms, but they expect partners to lead the innovation. This approach strongly reflects how RPC already works: identifying opportunities, building solutions, and collaborating closely with customers rather than waiting for prescriptive direction. 

What this means for RPC and our clients 

The team returned from Oracle AI World energised, informed and confident about the direction of travel. AI is not being positioned as a replacement for expertise, but as a powerful accelerator – enhancing insight, improving efficiency and enabling better decisions from existing data. 

For RPC, the value lies in helping clients adopt these capabilities responsibly: aligning innovation with governance, embedding AI into real project controls workflows, and ensuring technology delivers practical outcomes. 

Events like Oracle AI World reinforce why investing in people, learning and experimentation matters. Days such as this aren’t revenue lost in time away from delivery, they supercharge what we do next. As Oracle continues to evolve its AI capabilities, RPC is well placed to help clients move forward with confidence, turning insight into action, and innovation into real-world value.