Today, cloud transformation means far more than simply migrating applications and data to new infrastructures. Companies must consider technological innovations, increasing security requirements and regulatory mandates as an integrated whole right from the start. At the same time, artificial intelligence is increasingly evolving from a promise for the future into a practical tool in day-to-day business operations.
In this member interview, Dr Marc Wilczek, CEO of plusserver, discusses the challenges that are currently arising most frequently in the modernisation of IT and cloud landscapes, the developments that are reshaping the cloud market more significantly than many had anticipated, and which AI applications are already proving their worth in practice. He also addresses the question of how regulation and IT security are shaping the planning and operation of modern cloud infrastructures.
plusserver supports companies in modernising their IT and cloud landscapes. What challenges do you currently encounter most frequently in this regard, and how do you address them?
Our customers are currently primarily concerned with two issues: firstly, modernising their IT landscape without compromising digital sovereignty, and secondly, the secure and compliant use of AI solutions.
As a provider with our headquarters, operations team and data centres located exclusively in Germany, we support companies with sovereign cloud and AI infrastructures, as well as comprehensive consultancy throughout the entire transformation process. This ranges from migration and compliance with regulatory requirements to the secure operation of these solutions.
The cloud industry is being shaped by technological and economic changes. In your view, which trend is currently changing the market more significantly than many expect?
I would describe this less as a trend and more as a fundamental shift in awareness: companies are increasingly realising just how heavily they depend on non-European cloud and AI providers. This applies not only to proprietary technologies, but also to the availability of key services and models, the use of which can be be changed at short notice or restricted regionally.
That is why digital sovereignty is becoming significantly more important. Many companies are now actively exploring alternatives to regain greater control over critical applications and data and to reduce regulatory and geopolitical risks.
However, this also requires the courage to pursue this path consistently. Whilst there is much talk of digital sovereignty in Europe, in practice the major hyperscalers still dominate. If Europe wishes to become more technologically independent, concrete decisions and investments must follow the discussions far more frequently.
AI is increasingly moving from being a topic for the future to practical application. In your view, which AI use cases have already proven to be particularly practical?
AI applications for automating recurring business processes are particularly practical today. For example, AI agents provide support in customer service, document processing, knowledge search and software development, and noticeably ease the workload for staff in their day-to-day work.
In our view, a pragmatic approach is key here: companies should not wait until they have developed the perfect AI strategy, but should start with specific use cases, implement initial MVPs, gain experience and then gradually scale up successful solutions.
At the same time, AI is also changing the threat landscape. Cybercriminals are increasingly using AI agents to prepare attacks more efficiently or identify vulnerabilities more quickly. That is why, together with our partners, we are focusing on AI-powered security solutions that can detect attacks at an early stage and respond to them automatically.
Many companies today need to incorporate regulatory requirements into their cloud strategy at an early stage. How does this affect the planning and implementation of IT projects?
Regulatory requirements have increased significantly in recent years and will continue to grow in importance. Reasons for this include increasing reliance on digital infrastructures, more complex supply chains, and the growing importance of the availability and integrity of IT services for business success. For example, around 30,000 companies in Germany are already affected by the requirements of the NIS 2 Directive.
Security by Design and Compliance by Design are therefore increasingly becoming the norm. Right from the start of a project, companies must define which data may be processed and where, how identities and access are managed, and which security and compliance requirements must be continuously monitored.
As a result, many decisions are being brought forward to the start of a project. This makes it all the more important to define the appropriate architecture and the right operating models at an early stage, in collaboration with an experienced cloud partner.
Which IT security requirements are currently of particular concern to companies, and how is this changing the operation of modern cloud infrastructures?
AI is currently shaping IT security in two ways. On the one hand, there is the question of how companies can use AI securely without jeopardising sensitive data or intellectual property. On the other hand, attackers are increasingly using AI to carry out cyber-attacks more quickly and with greater precision.
For the secure operation of modern cloud infrastructures, this means that companies require powerful security mechanisms, continuous monitoring and, increasingly, AI-powered detection and defence systems. Sovereign cloud offerings also provide the basis for processing sensitive data in a controlled manner and in compliance with regulatory requirements.
