How is the conversation around AI changing, and what should businesses keep in mind as they adopt it? Three European conferences, different industries, yet remarkably similar questions. Artificial intelligence is rapidly moving beyond experimentation and becoming part of everyday business operations. Alongside the opportunities it creates, increasingly pressing questions are emerging around its actual economic value, security and long-term sustainability.

As a digital solution grows, it is rarely just the application itself that expands. More databases, storage solutions, networking components, Kubernetes clusters, and other cloud services are added over time. And as the infrastructure becomes more complex, it becomes increasingly important to understand not only what is running where, but also how individual components are configured, how they change over time, and whether those changes can be safely reproduced or rolled back.

This year marks 25 years since Cleverbee was founded. We did not want to treat this anniversary simply as a look back at the past, but rather as an opportunity to reflect on what has changed over that time — in technology, in business, and in client expectations. In this interview, CEO Michal Štěpánek looks back on what this journey has brought to the company, what has proven true over the years, and what he believes still matters today. He also explains why, today, it is just as important to keep perspective as it is to remain willing to explore new directions, technologies, and approaches that help companies grow and improve productivity.