CoreWeave CEO calls Oracle a ‘formidable’ AI rival, stresses software-first strategy

Michael Intrator’s remarks come as cloud giants like Oracle, AWS, Azure, and CoreWeave intensify competition to deliver scalable, high-performance infrastructure for AI workloads, including machine learning training and large language models across global enterprises

CoreWeave CEO Michael Intrator, in a recent interview, acknowledged Oracle as a “formidable competitor” in the artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure space, even as he emphasized CoreWeave’s differentiation through its purpose-built software stack and modern architecture.

Intrator’s remarks come amid growing competition in the cloud and AI infrastructure market, where players like Oracle, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and CoreWeave are vying to provide scalable, high-performance computing solutions for AI workloads, including large language models and machine learning training.

“Oracle has its own set of products that they’re offering, and they are a formidable competitor,” Intrator said in the interview. However, he asserted that CoreWeave’s long-term differentiation would come from the software stack it has developed from the ground up to maximize AI performance.

Unlike legacy providers, Intrator said, CoreWeave has avoided incorporating outdated technologies or design practices. “We’re not trying to incorporate any legacy technology or any history of success or failure. Every part of our infrastructure has been built from scratch for optimization,” he added.

CoreWeave bets on expansion to meet AI demand

The comments follow CoreWeave’s recent announcement to acquire data infrastructure provider Core Scientific in a deal valued at $9 billion. The acquisition will give CoreWeave control over 1.3 gigawatts of gross power capacity across the U.S. and eliminate about $10 billion in future lease obligations. It’s a strategic move aimed at expanding the company’s physical and operational footprint to meet surging demand for AI compute.

Intrator noted that while the market may need time to understand the scope and sophistication of CoreWeave’s model, the company is well-positioned to serve the most demanding AI customers globally. “There’s broad-based demand for the infrastructure and compute power that drives AI, and this deal helps us scale that offering.”

As AI adoption accelerates across sectors, the race for optimized, cost-efficient, and high-throughput compute environments is intensifying. While Oracle has made significant strides by integrating AI capabilities into its cloud ecosystem, Intrator believes CoreWeave’s agile, software-first approach is better aligned with the needs of modern AI developers and enterprises.