Dell Adapts AI Partner Ecosystem as Silicon Valley Buyers Build Their Own Stacks
Dell is adapting its AI partner ecosystem for Silicon Valley customers who prefer building their own stacks, a Dell executive says in an interview on theCUBE.
O'Connor said Silicon Valley buyers are among the most technically sophisticated anywhere, and their preference for building rather than buying changes how Dell sells to them. 'Silicon Valley is interesting because everybody here wants to build versus buy,' he said. 'They're very, very sharp and they're very, very savvy when it comes to technology.'
To win over those builders, Dell focuses on demystifying consultative services instead of leading with them, O'Connor explained. Technology partnerships remain central to that effort, but Dell's definition of an ecosystem is widening. Proximity to Dell Technologies Capital, the company's venture arm, gives Dell a line into the startups and developer communities its customers already talk to, he noted.
'For us, that notion of ecosystem is starting to change,' O'Connor said. 'Today we're here with Intel [Corp.], we're here with SHI [International Corp.], we're here with Microsoft [Corp]. But that ecosystem also now is starting to bleed into private equity and venture capital.'
Deployment speed is another priority for Dell's AI partner ecosystem. O'Connor said long-standing relationships with Nvidia Corp., Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. and Micron Technology Inc. give Dell's field teams credibility in customer conversations. Dell also expanded its Dell AI Factory with Nvidia portfolio at its Dell Technologies World conference in May.
'We're rolling out 350 racks within two weeks,' O'Connor said. 'There's a lot of new partnerships that are coming up, and they're coming up to speed very, very fast.'
The interview was part of SiliconANGLE's and theCUBE's coverage of Dell's 'AI Leadership Symposium.' TheCUBE is a paid media partner for the event, and neither Dell, the sponsor of theCUBE's event coverage, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.