[Me & X] AWS Sovereign Cloud
X : What do you think about AWS Sovereign cloud?
Me : Good move for AWS, nothing new though, they announced this years ago. It has just finally become operational.
X : What about the Cloud Act?
Me : Always in conflict. Sovereignty is a messy business involving compromises. Take space, if a German company is using a satellite in space (GDPR applies, as it follows the data) and the operator of the satellite is in the UK (UK law applies) and the ground station is in the US (CLOUD Act applies) and there is no overall court who decides.
X : But it can't be sovereign if Cloud Act applies?
Me : Depends upon what you want to focus on, where you want to create choice which is what sovereignty is about. Do you use LLMs/GPTs? Like ChatGPT?
X : Yes
Me : Well, I'd be more concerned about the embedded values in the training data. They are non kinetic form of warfare being snuck into your decision making processes. You can't know what values and hidden meaning exists within this without the ability to process and if you don't have access to the training data, the architecture and methods of training - you have no hope. Makes Hollywood look like chicken feed - https://lnkd.in/exJVmNvD - and we seem to have no problem surrendering in that landscape. Creates a huge asymmetry of power in favour of the vendors.
X : But cloud act ...
Me : Look, it helps if you understand your landscape (see image). Try reading https://lnkd.in/eku2X_Ea
X : I don't have time.
Me : Given the work I did at the DVLA was over a decade ago, we've had plenty of time. That time, alas, has gone.
X : I just want a simple answer, no waffle.
Me : Buy a management consultancy report on the subject, I'm sure they are full of simple answers which mostly involving hiring that consultancy. I don't have any simple answers for you, other than observe your environment before taking action. Saying that is the easy part, the hard part is the observation and thinking involved. As for AWS sovereign cloud, well, it's a good move for AWS and at least gives an element of territorial influence. But the game is much larger than just where data centres are located.
X : This is not helpful.
Me : Just wait a few more years, then once you have completely surrendered your decision making, critical thinking and comprehension to LLMs/GPTs it will tell you "That's a great question. You're absolutely right to focus on this" before embedding more of their values into your decision making. You'll have your answer then.
X : Do you agree or not with AWS sovereign cloud.
Me : If your definition of sovereignty is "no exposure to US law", then no it does not give you that. If your definition is "greater operational and territorial control than before", then yes, it does. If your question is actually about sovereignty rather than compliance, then the way you have framed it misses the point. Best I can do.
Originally published on LinkedIn.