Another AWS re:Invent has come to an end. For those of us who watched the keynotes and sessions, one thing is clear: it is no longer just about what AI might do in the future, but what it can do for your business right now.
The focus this year was on practical tools. AWS showed us technology that solves real problems today. Making work easier, saving money, and keeping data safe.
We have gone through the announcements to find the ones that matter most. Here are our top five takeaways from the event and how they can help you.
1. AI agents are ready to do the work
For the last year, AI has mostly been about chat. You ask a smart chatbot a question, and it gives you an answer. That is helpful, but it is passive. This year, AWS introduced "agentic AI". This is a big step forward.
These new AI agents don't just talk. They do things. They can handle multi-step tasks that usually take up your team's time. Think of them like a digital intern that never sleeps. They can look at a problem, figure out what needs to be done, and fix it.
Why this matters to you
This is great news for efficiency. We all have those boring, repetitive tasks that need to be done but add little value. AI agents can now handle them.
For example, an agent could spot a bug in your software. It could then write the code to fix it and update your documentation. It does this without a human needing to type a single line of code.
This helps you get more out of your current team. They can stop doing the "busy work" and focus on big ideas that grow your business. If you are an SMB, this automation acts like an extra pair of hands when you are short on staff.
2. Saving money on databases is now easier
Cost is always a big topic. We know that managing cloud spend is a priority for every business. One of the biggest costs for many companies is their database usage. Until now, it has been tricky to optimise this.
AWS listened and launched Database Savings Plans. This works just like the savings plans you might use for compute power (EC2). You commit to a certain amount of usage, and in return, you pay a lower rate.
They also announced new hardware, like the Trainium3 chips. These are designed to make running AI models much cheaper.
Why this matters to you
This puts money back in your pocket. You don't need to be a financial wizard to see the benefit here. Database Savings Plans are a simple way to lower your monthly bill.
If you have been worried that AI is too expensive to run, the new chips change the math. They make high-performance AI affordable for more businesses. Whether you are a large enterprise or a growing startup, these tools help you control your budget. You can invest those savings into new projects instead of keeping the lights on.
3. Updating old apps is faster and safer
Many businesses rely on older software. We call these "legacy applications". They work, but they are often slow and hard to update. Moving them to the cloud can feel like a huge risk. It usually takes a lot of time and money.
AWS Transform is here to fix that. It uses AI to help rewrite your old code. It looks at your legacy applications and helps convert them to modern languages.
Why this matters to you
This removes the fear from modernisation. Projects that used to take months might now take weeks. The AI handles the heavy lifting of translating the code. This reduces the chance of human error.
If you are an ISV with an older product, this helps you get to the cloud faster. If you are an enterprise with years of old data and apps, this makes cleaning them up much less painful. It frees up your developers to build new features rather than fixing old ones. You can innovate faster and with less risk.
4. You can build AI that knows your business
Big, general AI models are impressive. But they don't know your business secrets. They don't know your specific industry terms. Sometimes, you need a model that is an expert in your field.
AWS launched Nova Forge to help with this. It allows you to build and train your own "frontier" models. You can teach these models using your own data.
Why this matters to you
This gives you control. You are not just renting someone else's brain; you are building your own. This is vital for regulated industries like healthcare, finance, or legal services.
You can create an AI that understands your specific contracts, patient records, or engineering diagrams. It also means your data stays with you. You get the accuracy of a custom tool without needing a team of scientists to build it. It turns your unique data into a competitive advantage.
5. Security and governance are built in
With all this new technology, safety is key. You cannot move fast if you are worried about crashing. AWS spent a lot of time talking about "operational excellence". This is just a fancy way of saying things should work well and stay secure.
They showed off new tools to help you manage your rules and guardrails. It is about making sure that as you use more AI, you don't lose control of your data.
Why this matters to you
You can sleep better at night. These updates mean you don't have to choose between innovation and security. You can have both.
For regulated industries, this is a game-changer. You can prove to auditors that your AI is behaving correctly. You can set clear rules on who can do what. It allows you to adopt these powerful new tools with confidence. You know that the guardrails are in place to keep your business safe.
What you can do next
It is easy to feel overwhelmed by all these announcements. The pace of change is fast. But you don't need to do everything at once. Our advice is to start small.
Pick one thing to improve.
Check your bills: Look at your database spend. Could a Saving Plan help you?
Find a boring task: Is there a workflow that eats up time? Test an AI agent on it.
Assess your data: Do you have unique data? Think about how a custom model could use it.
You don't have to figure this out alone. We are here to help you navigate these changes. We can help you understand which of these new tools is right for your business.
Let's have a chat about how we can help you get the most out of AWS.
