Huawei eyes transition to AI-native architecture in cloud models

During the Huawei Cloud TechWave Kenya Day in Nairobi, Frank Shi, Managing Director of Huawei Cloud Kenya, remarked that now is the time for bold technological development.

“The best time to develop Cloud and AI is now. Huawei Cloud is proud to have been in Kenya for 27 years, and we are here to build a better Kenya and a smarter, more connected future together. We want to become a one-stop shop for software development, offering the tools, platforms, and expertise needed to power Kenya’s digital economy,” he said.

Shi also shared the company’s strategy for transitioning from a cloud-native to an AI-native architecture. This shift embeds artificial intelligence into every layer of the cloud, aligning with the growing adoption of Cloud for AI and AI for Cloud models by enterprises around the world. 

These models enable system-level intelligence that reshapes how services are designed, delivered, and scaled.

Timothy Oriedo, Founder and CEO of Predictive Analytics Lab, explored how Big Data, DevOps, and AI are combining to drive Africa’s intelligent transformation. 

Drawing from Kenyan use cases in sectors such as fintech, agriculture, and logistics, Oriedo outlined a clear roadmap for how enterprises can turn data into actionable insights and measurable outcomes.

Representing Huawei Cloud’s global product team, Rex Xiao, Vice President of the PaaS Product Department, introduced CodeArts, an all-in-one DevOps platform built on Huawei’s two decades of research and development expertise. 

CodeArts integrates 28 tools into a single environment, offering a streamlined development process with distributed builds, unified workflows, and automated testing. 

Xiao noted three primary benefits of the platform which are greater development efficiency, robust built-in security with checks that exceed industry standards, and intelligent automation that maximizes software productivity.

On his part, Ishaq Kassam, Chief Commercial Officer of FinSense Africa, spoke on the importance of DevSecOps in building a successful digital-first strategy. 

He highlighted how key practices such as root cause analysis, one-click deployment, faster turnaround times, and security by design are critical to innovation, agility, and operational excellence. 

David Sanchez Plaza, Chief Solution Architect for Data Analytics at Huawei Cloud, introduced the Lakehouse architecture which combines the scalability of data lakes with the reliability of data warehouses. 

This unified approach enables organizations to break down data silos, integrate real-time analytics, and develop AI models based on trustworthy and structured data. Sanchez emphasized that this architecture is essential for turning information into a strategic business asset and building reliable, enterprise-grade AI capabilities.

“We are not just providing technology. We are building ecosystems, nurturing talent, and co-creating solutions,” said Shi.