Amazon Web Services Inc. is charting a bold new path in cloud computing with a plan for the first time to offer applications to enterprises in a big way.

In an exclusive, face-to-face interview at AWS headquarters in Seattle recently, I sat down with Colleen Aubrey, senior vice president of AWS Solutions and a key member of Amazon.com Inc. Chief Executive Andy Jassy S-team of 29 top executives. This rare, candid conversation revealed the new path AWS is charting under Aubrey’s leadership.

AWS, the undisputed leader in cloud computing, is embarking on a transformative new chapter. Known for empowering developers with unmatched infrastructure and tools, AWS is now leveraging its scale and operational expertise to build enterprise-ready applications. These aren’t just tools for developers — they’re comprehensive solutions designed to address the challenges of businesses operating at massive scale.

Leading this ambitious charge, Aubrey brings a deep understanding of Amazon’s operational DNA and a proven track record as the architect of Amazon’s transformative advertising business. Her mission: to create applications that harness AWS’ strengths while ensuring harmony within its thriving ecosystem of software-as-a-service and independent software vendor partners.

As competition intensifies — with Microsoft Corp. leaning on its Office legacy, OpenAI courting artificial intelligence-native developers, and Snowflake Inc. building its own “Data Cloud” ecosystem — AWS has an opportunity to define its role in the application layer. But this isn’t just about keeping pace. Under Aubrey’s leadership, AWS is setting a course that could redefine how cloud applications are built, scaled and integrated.

From ads to applications: Aubrey’s proven playbook

Aubrey’s rise to prominence began with her pivotal role in building Amazon’s advertising business, a multibillion-dollar venture that revolutionized digital retail marketing. Navigating diverse internal stakeholders, she demonstrated her ability to align teams and deliver transformative results.

“Building the ads business was a great journey,” Aubrey said. “I learned the value of working across silos to create something impactful.”

This experience laid the foundation for her new role at AWS. Now, Aubrey leads a team tasked with developing scalable, mission-critical applications that draw on Amazon’s deep operational expertise. These are not just products but new solutions by AWS that solve the kinds of problems few companies can tackle on their own.

AWS Solutions: A vision for scaled applications

At the heart of AWS’ new direction is the concept of “scaled applications.” Unlike generic SaaS products, these solutions are tailored for businesses operating at global scale, addressing challenges that few others can.

In our conversation, Aubrey candidly explained the origins of Amazon Connect, describing how lessons from Amazon’s own customer service operations inspired the platform’s development. Originally developed to meet the needs of Amazon’s own customer service operations, Connect has evolved into a leading cloud-based contact center platform.

“Connect encapsulates decades of learnings from running one of the world’s largest contact centers,” says Aubrey. “It’s a prime example of how we can bring value to customers by solving complex problems we’ve already tackled internally.”

Aubrey’s team is building on this success with a focus on five key areas:

• Amazon Connect – Revolutionizing customer workflows with AI-powered contact center solutions.
• AWS Supply Chain – Delivering real-time telemetry and agile decision-making tools for logistics.
• Secure Work Enablement – Empowering distributed teams with scalable, secure solutions.
• Just Walk Out – Applying visual reasoning technology to new industries beyond retail.
• Life Sciences – Accelerating research and innovation with AI and secure data collaboration.

Aubrey sees these initiatives as a mix of horizontal and vertical capabilities, carefully designed to meet specific industry needs while remaining adaptable across markets. “Some, like Connect and AWS Supply Chain, are horizontal workflows that can span industries,” she explained. “Others, like Just Walk Out, are verticalized — starting with retail but applicable elsewhere. Secure Work Enablement is horizontal but distinct, addressing distributed workforces, secure compute access and customer data protection.”

Each initiative reflects AWS’s strategy to deliver not just applications but solutions uniquely positioned to solve high-complexity problems. By leveraging both vertical and horizontal capabilities, Aubrey aims to maximize AWS’ value across diverse sectors, empowering customers to address their most pressing challenges with tools tailored to their unique needs.

The competitive landscape: differentiating AWS

Aubrey’s vision comes at a pivotal moment in the cloud industry, and AWS is looking to apply its operational expertise to create something distinct from the likes of Microsoft and its legacy applications and OpenAI with its new generation of AI developers.

“The difference is scale and insight,” Aubrey explains. “At AWS, we’re solving problems we’ve encountered firsthand at Amazon, and we’re building tools that reflect that experience.”

Amazon Connect is a prime example of this differentiation. Though traditional SaaS products might address aspects of customer service, Connect offers a fully integrated solution that merges infrastructure, AI and workflow management — an offering only AWS believes it can deliver.

But AWS’ move into applications also raises questions about its relationships with SaaS and ISV partners. Aubrey, however, sees collaboration—not competition — as the way forward.

“ISVs are my customers,” she emphasized. “They should be able to build on any part of the applications we create. We’ll keep getting better, they’ll keep getting better, and together we’ll deliver more value to customers.”

The challenges ahead

Navigating this delicate ecosystem is just one of Aubrey’s challenges. Leading an initiative of this scale requires fostering innovation while managing the complexities of operating within Amazon’s broader framework. She is focused on building a team of disruptors — leaders who challenge conventional thinking but also embrace Amazon’s culture of working backwards from the customer.

“I want people who push boundaries,” she says. “But I also want to retain the strengths of AWS and the unique culture of Amazon.”

The roadmap is ambitious: Aubrey aims to bring Amazon Connect to its next inflection point by 2025, while driving progress in supply chain tools, secure work solutions and life sciences applications. Each represents a high-stakes opportunity to redefine the industries they touch.

A transformative moment for AWS

AWS’ foray into applications is a bold bet on the future of cloud computing. As competitors carve out their niches, Aubrey’s leadership represents a unique opportunity for AWS to redefine the landscape.

Her ability to turn Amazon’s operational learnings into scalable, impactful solutions positions AWS as more than just the cloud infrastructure leader — it’s a solutions provider shaping the future of enterprise technology. If successful, Aubrey’s vision could redefine not just the role of AWS but the very nature of enterprise scale applications. As she leads AWS into this bold new era, all eyes will be on the solutions she delivers — and the industries they transform.

“Innovators have to be comfortable with being misunderstood for a long time,” Jassy once said on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE’s video studio. That mantra that aptly captures both the challenges and opportunities ahead for Aubrey and her team. It’s a reminder that bold moves, like the ones she’s spearheading, often face skepticism before they reshape industries.

Photo: Amazon