AI Runs on Open Source & Real Humans: Why You Need Linux & Cloud Native Skills to Power AI at Scale

Sponsored by LF Education AI is capturing imaginations and budgets. But beneath every high-performing AI system lies a quieter truth: AI runs on open source — and on people who know how to make it work. Linux, Kubernetes, and cloud native infrastructure form the backbone of modern AI. Without them, models don’t scale, systems don’t deploy reliably, and AI never moves beyond experimentation. As AI adoption accelerates, the professionals who understand this full stack — and can connect infrastructure, platforms, and real-world outcomes — are becoming indispensable. In this conversation, Clyde Seepersad, Linux Foundation Education, and Christophe Sauthier, Cloud Native Computing Foundation, will explore why demand is growing not just for AI specialists, but for IT professionals with cross-functional fluency across Linux, cloud native, platform engineering, and security. They’ll unpack how these skills create career leverage, expand role optionality, and position professionals to guide AI systems with judgment, context, and impact.