After a busy day at the Goldman Sachs tech conference earlier this week, I sat down with the firm’s internet analyst Eric Sheridan to take stock. His main takeaway: “No one’s slowing down.”

Despite spending massively on AI infrastructure, almost every tech exec told him AI demand is outstripping their ability to supply intelligence, he said.

This was summed up by executives at CoreWeave, which builds and runs AI data centers. “Unrelenting,” they said, while noting there’s been yet another upward inflection in AI demand in the past four to six weeks.

During the dot-com boom of the late ’90s, internet infrastructure was built out massively based on eyeballs — just the fact that people were looking at websites. This time, there’s actual revenue from consumers and companies paying for AI services, Sheridan noted.

The conference headliner was OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar. The room was packed for her talk. Even the overflow room was full, with many analysts and investors sitting on the floor. I’ve never seen so many loafers and crossed legs at the same time.

OpenAI is on course to generate $13 billion in revenue this year, but the company is “still massively compute constrained,” she said. That leads to tough decisions such as holding back new products, running some services intentionally slower, and having to choose which research projects get resources and which ones must wait.

This situation is also creating “strange bedfellows,” Sheridan told me. At the Goldman conference, Meta CFO Susan Li said the tech giant is working with Google, an arch rival. Friar mentioned OpenAI is also tapping Google’s cloud for capacity. Those two are going to the mat over the AI search market.

One dark cloud

The only dark cloud at the Goldman conference: Software could be disrupted by AI and that’s weighing on shares of SaaS providers. Friar was asked about this and she didn’t hold back.

In the new world of autonomous software development, it’s now easier to create bespoke software in-house. “Why wouldn’t I code the kind of software that is exactly what OpenAI needs,” the CFO said. “That is going to change the whole face of how software is developed.”

I felt a shudder ripple across the room as attendees considered how much of the world AI might consume in the coming years.

“Short everything,” someone muttered beside me as the audience got up to leave. Analysts laughed nervously as we filed out in a long, slow line.

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Bergquist Inc. is strengthening its customer support with the addition of Trevor Brewster as director of business automation and AI, a newly created role, and Natalya Zaytseva as director of marketing.

Brewster has spent more than two decades working in entrepreneurship, business management and customer service related roles, with a foundation in technology and finance.

In his new role, Brewster will identify opportunities where automation and AI streamline workflows and reduce repetitive tasks, allowing employees to focus on customer support. This work will include the implementation of tools designed to centralize product information and preserve institutional knowledge to enhance efficiency and responsiveness to customer service.

“I’m excited to join Bergquist at such a pivotal time,” says Brewster. “By bringing automation and AI into the organization’s daily operations, we can simplify complex processes, reduce manual tasks and ultimately serve our customers faster and more effectively. These innovations aren’t about replacing people; they’re about giving our team the tools to focus on what matters most, building stronger relationships with our customers.”

Zaytseva has over two decades of marketing leadership experience, previously serving as marketing director at Crystal Flash Energy and head of marketing operations at Merlin. In her previous role as Americas marketing director at X-Rite Pantone, Zaytseva developed and executed regional commercialization strategies, strengthening lead generation and inside sales functions to achieve the company’s growth goals.

“This is an amazing opportunity to be part of a company that is truly committed to its customers and the industry,” says Zaytseva. “I look forward to applying my experience in marketing and in the energy industry to expand Bergquist’s already-strong brand presence, connect more meaningfully with our customers and ensure our strategies directly support their goals as well as the company’s long-term vision.”

In her new role, Zaytseva will be responsible for advancing Bergquist’s marketing strategy, focusing on expanding brand visibility, deepening customer relationships and aligning market initiatives with business development goals.

“These appointments reflect our commitment to continuous innovation and our focus on providing customers with the best possible experience,” says Lauren Clark, Bergquist CEO. “With Trevor spearheading automation and AI initiatives, and Natalya shaping our marketing vision, we are further strengthening our ability to anticipate customer needs and deliver meaningful solutions that help them grow their businesses. These appointments underscore our mission to combine innovation with expertise, ensuring that our customers have the tools, resources and support they need to succeed.”

He pointed to a series of measures Beneva has implemented to contain drug costs, including mandatory transitions to biosimilars, agreements with pharmaceutical companies covering more than 100 targeted molecules, and prior authorization and step-therapy programs. Beneva also invests heavily in clinical expertise, maintaining a pharmaceutical team of over 20 professionals – including pharmacists, nurses, and technicians – who work directly with plan members managing chronic conditions, Chalifoux said.