The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence and cloud computing is reshaping how organizations manage and utilize data. In this dynamic landscape, real-time data streaming has emerged as a critical enabler for operational agility and AI readiness.

By allowing companies to process, analyze and act on data as it flows, this technology transforms traditional batch-based systems into flexible, event-driven architectures. Such capabilities are crucial for businesses striving to break down silos, enhance decision-making and stay competitive in an increasingly data-driven world.

Confluent Inc. is redefining real-time data movement with its data streaming platform, now integrated with Google Cloud Marketplace. By enabling companies to move beyond data silos, Confluent’s platform accelerates artificial intelligence initiatives and streamlines operations. The company leverages Google Cloud’s infrastructure to deliver simplified procurement and enhanced scalability for customers, according to Shaun Clowes (pictured, right), chief product officer of Confluent.

“Our partnership with Google around the Marketplace … is actually a key driver of our success and the adoption of this data streaming platform,” Clowes said. “We designed Confluent Cloud from the ground up as a cloud-native serverless application that runs seamlessly in Google Cloud. That means that people can put Confluent to work with all of their Google data or Google applications inside GCP instantly, trivially [and] really easily, and so they can take advantage of all of that data that’s moving.”

Clowes and Stephen Orban (left), vice president of migrations, ISVs and marketplace, Google Cloud, spoke with theCUBE Research’s John Furrier for the Google Cloud Marketplace Marvels interview series, on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio. They discussed how Confluent’s real-time data streaming platform, integrated with Google Cloud Marketplace, enables organizations to consolidate customer insights across departments, deploy AI models for real-time fraud detection, and simplify purchasing processes by offering pre-approved vendor solutions through a single platform. (* Disclosure below.)

Real-time data streaming platform fuels operational agility and AI readiness

Confluent’s data streaming platform offers businesses a fundamental shift in how they process and use data, moving from batch-based transfers to real-time, continuous data flows. By enabling organizations to process, analyze and act on data as it moves, companies can enhance customer experiences, speed up decision-making and power AI-driven insights, according to Clowes.

“Ultimately, we’re trying to enable people to evolve data from a world where everything is kind of batch-based, and it’s designed for a world of data at rest,” he said. “We’re moving to a world where companies can harness that data and their insights in real time, literally working with data as it moves throughout all parts of your enterprise.”

The integration between Confluent and Google Cloud strengthens this capability, allowing joint customers to access data at scale while breaking down traditional silos. This combined approach supports the development of event-driven architectures, enabling companies to build more flexible and agile IT environments, Clowes pointed out.

“We’re no stranger to delivering deep experiences that bring together different systems and very complex infrastructure,” he said. “Our data streaming platform … suits Google Cloud’s advanced analytics, the AI capabilities. Together, they enable organizations to process, analyze and act on data instantly.”

Apache Kafka and Apache Flink play a pivotal role in Confluent Cloud’s ability to deliver real-time data streaming and processing at scale. Kafka serves as the backbone for moving data seamlessly across enterprise systems, while Flink enables advanced stream processing to unlock deeper insights and automation.

“We built basically a fully managed service around Confluent Cloud, which is also based on Apache Kafka, which is perhaps the world’s most popular open-source project for real-time data streaming,” Clowes said. “Then we made it possible to process the data … using our stream processing technology, which is powered by Apache Flink, a very popular open-source project in its own right.”

Nuuly, a subscription service offered by Urban Outfitters Inc., serves as an example of this transformation in action. Tasked with building a subscription-based service from the ground up, Nuuly turned to Confluent and Google Cloud to craft an event-driven architecture in just six months. The platform enabled seamless data integration, powering real-time logistics and customer interactions, according to Clowes.

“They shared with me a quote that I thought was pretty cool,” he said. “They said, ‘In January, we had an empty plot of land, and in July, we launched with not only a new distribution center, but with fully operational, production event-driven applications.’”

Unified marketplace simplifies procurement, accelerates innovation

Google Cloud Marketplace streamlines the purchasing process for customers by providing a centralized platform to manage software procurement, usage and billing, according to Clowes and Orban. Customers can draw down on existing Google Cloud commitments while accessing services such as Confluent.

“When you really think about it, we have an $86 [or] $87 billion backlog of all the customers who have committed to moving to Google Cloud, and they have two ways to be able to retire these commitments,” Orban said. “One is consuming Google Cloud services, and the other is to consume some of our partners off our Marketplace. Confluent has done a wonderful job of building not just great technology, but leaning in with us to help our customers who are offered on these big transformation journeys make use of Confluent to help them get to their destination faster.”

For software vendors such as Confluent, the Marketplace provides new pathways for growth. The simplified procurement process reduces the complexity of budgeting discussions, accelerates the sales cycle and provides compensation incentives for sellers on both the Google Cloud and Confluent sides, according to Clowes.

“It’s kind of a win-win-win in terms of benefiting joint customers … benefitting Confluent and benefitting Google,” he said. “Now, you kind of don’t get all of that unless you’re a little bit intentional … I think our Google Cloud partnership has really been a great example about that. We have designed our go-to-market efforts to achieve awareness, and you’d almost say preference of the Marketplace as the transactional channel.”

This alignment has been critical for Google’s broader push to provide integrated services that feel native to Google Cloud’s infrastructure. Confluent’s data streaming platform is now viewed by many customers as an embedded component of the broader Google Cloud ecosystem, according to Orban.

“I think that’s emblematic of … we’re working really hard together, [to] make sure that our solutions work so well together that, from the customer’s perspective, it’s indistinguishable from who’s providing which service to who,” he said. “I think that’s a testament to all the work we’ve done … the last many years to do all the integrations and make sure that the Marketplace capabilities are wired up in the right way. But we won’t be satisfied until we can continue to have every customer that uses our mutual products to have that type of seamless experience.”

Here’s theCUBE’s complete video interview with Shaun Clowes and Stephen Orban:

To watch more of theCUBE’s coverage of the Google Cloud Marketplace Marvels series, here’s our complete event video playlist:

(* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for the Google Cloud Marketplace Marvels special interview series. Neither Google LLC, the sponsor of theCUBE’s event coverage, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE