People First, Always. AWS and the GenAI Mindset That’s Shaping the Future

AWS/Darren Baker Photography

If you want to future-proof your business, don’t just look at your tech stack; look at your people.

That’s the main lesson I took from AWS at London Tech Week 2025 (LTW). I’ve attended countless tech events over the years, but there’s something impactful about a global brand like Amazon Web Services (AWS) showing up with innovation and intention. The focus wasn’t just GenAI - which was the focus of 99% of LTW - it was GenAI with a human mindset.

A Keynote That Centered on People, Not Just Product

Tanuja Randery, VP & Managing Director EMEA, AWS, as I mentioned in my LTW recap article, delivered one of the most human-centered tech talks I’ve heard so far this year. She championed inclusion, diversity, and people as core pillars of AWS’s leadership strategy.

In a time when businesses are racing to deploy generative AI for a competitive edge, Randery reminded us that transformation starts within. Culture, people, and leadership are the foundations.

She spoke about how organizations must build a new AI mindset, one rooted in curiosity, trust, responsibility, and inclusion. Tech is advancing at an exponential rate, but if we leave our people behind, we all lose. I did get a chance to interview Randery; stay tuned for that one.

Being a pioneer in any industry is a long game. In tech, the fastest-growing and arguably most unforgiving space, the challenge is constant reinvention. AWS, having disrupted cloud infrastructure since the early 2000s continues to push forward. This time, with AI and people at the center, or as we are now calling it, the GenAI mindset.

I spoke with several other AWS executives during the week, and one theme kept coming up: outcomes. Not just what the tech can do but what it’s doing for people, teams, and business models.

Real AI, Real Revenue

Their booth, under the theme "Explore AI with AWS," was more of an interactive arena, showcasing multiple AI applications, live demos, and an activation experience in partnership with Formula 1, of which AWS is a Global Partner, where visitors could drive a simulator. I had fun trying to stay on track!

They had different sessions showcasing how AWS customers are integrating generative AI models across healthcare, finance, and media. One AWS spokesperson told me, “We’re not just a cloud provider anymore. We’re the infrastructure behind tomorrow’s breakthroughs.”

Now, let’s talk solutions.

Amazon Bedrock is the bedrock (pun fully intended) of GenAI enablement for businesses. Without having to worry about maintaining their own infrastructure, developers may use basic models from many vendors to create and grow generative AI applications. It opens the doors for startups that can’t afford to hire an entire MLOps team yet want to leverage AI to drive product innovation and customer engagement.

Amazon Q, AWS's AI-powered assistant, boosts technical workflows and increases efficiency. Consider it your constant navigator when using the cloud. Q enables teams to work more quickly, make fewer mistakes, and spend more time creating rather than fighting. BT in the UK is an excellent use case for those who would like to learn more.

SageMaker HyperPod was another crowd favorite. For companies serious about machine learning, HyperPod takes model training efficiency to the next level. Its distributed architecture significantly reduces training time, enabling faster time-to-market, which is key for any enterprise looking to stay ahead of its competitors.

Tanuja Randery - AWS/Darren Baker Photography

These technologies are revenue drivers. Startups can go from zero to a minimum viable product (MVP) in weeks. Enterprises can automate key processes, freeing up human capital for creative, strategic work. And most importantly, these tools are designed with scalability, accessibility, and people in mind.

Over 52% of businesses are using AI, and startups are adopting AI faster because that is the world they are living in. Enterprises are taking a slower approach. In Randery's own words,

"Enterprises are using it from a productivity benefit perspective first, which isn't unusual. They unleash the productivity benefits and reinvest in growth and revenue generation. The feedback also suggests that 90% of businesses are experiencing more revenue growth from AI than from classic efficiencies alone."

Women in Tech

It was refreshing to see a noticeable rise in female representation across the AWS sessions and tech stages at London Tech Week. Seeing more women take the mic, lead panels, and stand at the forefront of innovation was a step forward.

It was empowering hearing from women in leadership who are reshaping how we think about AI ethics, inclusive design, and team dynamics in tech environments. As a longtime advocate for equity in tech, it was a pleasure to see AWS walking the talk. You know me and what I often say, everyone is great at talking the talk, but not so much walking the walk.

Driving Innovation with GenAI

Another highlight was the panel titled “Driving Innovation: How AWS Generative AI is Transforming Performance in Formula 1 and Beyond.” While I am only making a brief mention here, I had the opportunity to speak with the panelists off-stage, and I’ll be sharing those insights soon.

Let’s just say the use cases for GenAI in high-performance sports are as exhilarating as the races themselves, from predictive analytics to immersive fan engagement with tools like F1 Insights powered by AWS, Track Pulse, or Root Cause Analysis, to name a few.

Leading Without Forgetting the Human Behind the Screen

What makes AWS’s approach in 2025 different is the tone. They’re embedding AI in ways that empower developers, inspire leaders, and unlock possibilities for everyday users.

Pioneers are role models, and AWS, even as it continues to scale and evolve, hasn’t lost sight of what really matters: the people. Whether on keynote stages, during tech demos, or in casual coffee chats, "people" was the key buzzword.

To sum up

Remember, behind every piece of technology is a human being. Take care of your people, and they will thrive and build the future with you. AWS continues to build robust infrastructure and foster a culture of innovation, equity, and the potential of human-machine collaboration.

So, I leave you with this: in a world racing to automate everything, will you remember to humanize what matters most?

Whether you are a startup founder or an enterprise leader, don’t just follow the AI trend. Lead it with purpose. Stay tuned for my exclusive interviews with AWS leaders and pioneers shaping tomorrow’s tech landscape.

As I always say, together we are stronger.

p.s. AWS invited me to attend London Tech Week. My opinion is independent and unbiased.