Monday, May 5, 2025

Can AI Replace Cloud Computing?

I saw an odd headline asking “when will AI replace cloud computing?” It’s a non-sequitur. Sort of like asking when a layer 7 function is replaced by a layer 1 function. In other words, AI exists at a different layer of the software stack.


OSI Model

AI/Cloud Layer

7. Application (user-facing apps)

AI Model Deployment & APIs4

6. Presentation (data formatting/encryption)

Data Preprocessing/Feature Engineering4

5. Session (connection management)

Cloud API Gateway Management2

4. Transport (data integrity)

Distributed Training Orchestration4

3. Network (routing)

Cloud Network Virtualization2

2. Data Link (node-to-node transfer)

GPU Cluster Interconnects2

1. Physical (hardware)

Cloud Infrastructure (GPUs/TPUs)


Saying AI replaces cloud computing is like saying "video games replace electricity." Cloud computing is infrastructure, supplying functions lower in the stack.


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