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UKOUG Discover 2025: A Community Re-Energized by What’s Possible

I recently returned from UKOUG Discover, and I have to say — the Oracle community feels more energized and optimistic than I’ve seen it in years. Last year, AI was still this abstract concept everyone was buzzing about. This year? AI is hands-on, engaging, and actively reshaping the day-to-day lives of Oracle users.

If I were to sum up this year’s event, there were 3 main themes that stood out for me, and together they paint a very exciting picture of where we’re headed.

The hype is going from buzzwords to breakthroughs.

What impressed me most was how Oracle is embedding what I like to call “Practical AI” directly into the workflows customers use every day. These aren’t flashy, hype-driven features — they’re purpose-built enhancements rooted in real business needs.

Take the new AI Image Search in iProcurement: instead of endlessly guessing item names or hunting for codes, users can simply upload a photo into the search bar and instantly get visually similar matches from their catalog or approved suppliers. It’s powered by OCI Vision and AI Vector Search behind the scenes, but to the end user, it just feels faster, smarter, and far less error-prone.

The same goes for generative AI summaries in service maintenance — automatically turning the structured details a technician enters into a clear, text-based work order summary. Little by little, Oracle is removing friction from everyday tasks, boosting productivity, and modernizing the user experience — without asking customers to rebuild or re-implement anything.

That’s the kind of progress that truly moves organizations forward: Changes that will make routine processes smoother, reduce the manual effort, and free people to focus on the work that actually matters.

AI has brought a spark back to the community

Beyond the technology, the biggest change was the people. The attendance this year was almost three times what we saw last year — more customers, more vendors, and more hallway conversations buzzing with possibility. You could feel a shared sense of momentum.

AI has re-ignited curiosity. People are thinking about where their systems can go next, not just how to keep them running. After such a long period of uncertainty and cautious steps, it was refreshing to see optimism return to these rooms.

Oracle is expanding its ecosystem.

And another major shift is happening: Oracle is truly embracing a multi-cloud future. A few years ago, “multi-cloud” sounded like a marketing buzzword. At this event, it was very real. Google was a premier sponsor. There were multiple sessions dedicated to managing blended cloud environments securely and efficiently. Partners shared their experiences supporting customers in a multi-cloud world.

It’s clear that Oracle is opening its ecosystem, collaborating widely, and preparing customers for a future where choice is a strength — not a risk.

But modernization hesitation is still strong

One of the most eye-opening moments of the week came during the EBS Customer Roundtable. The room was full — packed with organizations who have been running E-Business Suite for years and rely on it deeply. But when the conversation shifted to modernization, some statistics reality hit hard:

– Only one customer had rolled out mobility for Oracle EBS

– Only one was experimenting with AI

– Just two had moved their EBS environments to OCI and tried ECC dashboards

Everyone else? Still waiting. And the reason was one we’ve all heard before: “Why invest in EBS when we’re eventually moving to cloud?” There’s a perception that modernizing EBS is throwing good money after bad – a temporary fix until a big cloud migration someday becomes reality.

But if the past two years have taught us anything, it’s that standing still is the biggest risk of all. When ChatGPT launched, generative AI wasn’t on most IT roadmaps. Today, it’s reshaping expectations faster than anyone imagined. The future isn’t slowing down so we can catch up; it’s moving ahead – and fast.

The good news? Innovation doesn’t need to mean disruption. Most organizations already have 90% of what they need in EBS. That last 10% — the part that transforms employee experience, speed, and decision-making — can be added through:

All without ripping out and replacing what’s already working. It’s a recipe for fast wins, low risk, and real, measurable ROI. Read more about how AuraPlayer is using advanced AI and OCR capabilities with Oracle EBS processes here.

That is the path forward — and I was encouraged to see Oracle itself leaning fully into this philosophy.

The Power of Collaboration

On a personal note, it was wonderful — as always — to spend time with Nadia Bendjedou, VP Oracle EBS Strategy, and hear about her whirlwind year inspiring EBS audiences across the world. Breakfast with Mark Sewtz from the Oracle APEX leadership team sparked exciting ideas about how we can continue bringing Forms customers forward, strategically and thoughtfully.

These conversations — that genuine collaboration between Oracle and partners — are what make this community so special. We all want the same thing: to help organizations innovate with confidence, without disruption.

Looking Ahead

UKOUG Discover made it clear that the future of E-Business Suite isn’t about waiting. It’s about progressing — step by step — with tools that enhance what already works so well.

2025 feels like a turning point — not because everything has changed, but because we are finally willing to take the next steps forward.

And I can’t wait to see where this community goes from here.