Larry Ellison unveiling new AI cloud wins. Infrastructure becomes influence.” Credit: Oracle
EDITION #6
Inside This Edition
Ellison’s playbook: from databases to data-dominance
The AI power bet: OCI, OpenAI contracts, and the $300B infrastructure wave
Media pivot: Paramount Skydance, Warner Bros whispers, TikTok U.S. deal upside and owning the cultural stage
5C™ Brand Breakdown: Clarity, Consistency, Creativity, Collaboration, Community
Your Move: 3 playbook actions you can replicate
1) The Billion-Dollar Move We’re Decoding Today
Larry Ellison is no longer just the database king. At 81 years old, he’s making two of the boldest moves of his lifetime:
Strengthening Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) as a major platform for AI compute and enterprise AI services;
Expanding his influence into media via ownership and acquisition, combining attention and content with tech infrastructure.
These dual plays (compute + content) are reshaping what power in tech truly looks like in 2025. (Reuters on Oracle’s stock surge, Fast Company on media magnate rise)
Where the world’s AI models run. Oracle’s cloud infrastructure backbone.” Credit: Oracle
2) What He’s Doing - The Moves, Plain and Simple
Massive AI contracts & infrastructure scale
Oracle revealed contracts worth roughly US$300 billion tied to AI compute (notably with OpenAI) spread over multi-year terms. It also expects its Oracle Cloud Infrastructure business to manage booked cloud orders (RPO: remaining performance obligations) that recently exceeded US$455 billion.
(Reuters - $300B risk flagged; Reuters - Oracle expects half-trillion in booked cloud orders)Stock surge & valuation push
Oracle’s stock jumped by ~43% in one day following AI cloud wins. Ellison’s net worth spiked by about US$100 billion, pushing him closer to the world’s richest list. Analysts are now debating whether Oracle could reach a US$900B–US$1T valuation within the next 12 months.
(Reuters - Oracle surges, Ellison closes in on Musk; CloudComputing-News on Ellison’s wealth)
source: oracle
Media & content consolidation
Paramount + Skydance merged in August 2025 in an US$8B deal, forming Paramount Skydance Corporation, now led by David Ellison with Larry Ellison as a key backer. (AP News)
Reports indicate Paramount Skydance is exploring a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), which would absorb its studio, streaming, and news assets. (Fast Company)
Buying culture
Ellison’s family now effectively controls Paramount, and with reported interest in WBD, he’s signalling a long-term play to own distribution, IP, and cultural attention channels. In parallel, Oracle is seen as the preferred U.S. cloud partner in high-profile localisation debates (e.g., TikTok’s U.S. operations). That mix - infrastructure + media - is a rare vertical integration that stitches compute, data, AI models, and audiences into one strategic fabric.
(Fast Company; Reuters references above)
3) Why It Works (The Strategy)
Compute + content = power duality: Owning infrastructure gives defensive moats, but adding media/content gives cultural relevance and recurring audience attention.
Scale in cloud & AI is sticky: Contracts are long-term; switching providers is expensive, so early movers get leverage.
Media ownership amplifies brand & influence: Studios + streaming platforms = control over narrative and distribution.
Boldness & risk: The size of these deals and the leverage Ellison is using draw concern (Moody’s flagged risk in the $300B contracts), but with high risk comes high asymmetric reward.
4) 5C™ Brand Breakdown - Ellison / Oracle + Media Moves
5C | How Oracle / Ellison Nails It |
|---|---|
Clarity | Oracle’s identity is shifting: it’s no longer just enterprise software-company. It’s AI infrastructure overlord + content holder. |
Consistency | Consistent long-term play: databases → cloud → AI → now media. Strategy built over decades, not bursts. |
Creativity | Strategic mashups: pairing media assets with compute power; challenging typical silos in tech vs entertainment. |
Collaboration | Partnerships (OpenAI, Meta, others), regulatory approvals, merging media entities. Also alliances across cloud providers. |
Community | Not just developers & enterprises: media consumers, creators, audiences, advertisers all become part of the ecosystem. |
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“Decoding Oracle and Paramount’s winning 5C strategy, from data dominance to cultural influence.” Credit: DiDreams
The Data Drop
US$300 billion in AI compute contracts tied to Oracle (notably with OpenAI) over multiple years. (Reuters, Moody’s)
US$455 billion in cloud deal backlog / performance obligations (RPO) at Oracle. (Reuters expects half-trillion RPO)
Oracle shares shot up ~43% on the day of multiple AI contract announcements. (Reuters: stock surge)
Oracle’s valuation is pushing toward the trillion-dollar club, making Ellison one of the world’s richest. (Reuters & CloudComputing-News)
Paramount Skydance merger ($8B) completed August 2025. (AP News: merger closed)
Paramount Skydance’s bid for Warner Bros Discovery in motion. (Fast Company)
Decoded Power Moves: What Founders & Brand Leaders Can Steal
Make one capability non-negotiable -Build infrastructure or core strength so essential that others depend on it.
Own adjacent channels - Don’t stay boxed in; if you can own distribution or audience reach, it amplifies everything else.
Drive asymmetric bets - Taking big risks with long horizons (like Ellison is with AI) can define markets.
Narrative + identity alignment - Make sure your story, what you stand for, aligns with what you build. Because only a coherent narrative survives scrutiny.
5) Your Takeaway
Ellison’s code is simple but ruthless: Control the tech that powers the future, then control the stories and platforms that define culture.
For your brand:
What is one capability people absolutely cannot replace? Make that your obsession.
Consider owning or partnering in audience-touch points (media, platforms, content).
Be bold enough to map long-term plays, but grounded enough to manage leverage and risk.
Longevity comes from relentless reinvention and strategic diversification.
Owning infrastructure and platforms is more powerful than selling products or services alone.
Action Step (this week): Audit your key offering / infrastructure. Identify what you can make indispensable in the next 90 days. Resource it. Declare it your centrepiece.
Quote of the Week:
Eventually, AI will change everything.
Next on Decoded: Decoded: The Apple Playbook: How Apple’s Quiet AI & Services Push Will Re-define Devices, Subscriptions and the Next Consumer Platform.
What part of Larry Ellison’s playbook speaks most to your brand’s journey? Share your thoughts with #DecodedBrandMoves and tag @danielleasah – I read every response.
Not yet subscribed? Unlock your Free 5C Brand Systems Clarity Checklist, identify gaps in your brand’s clarity, consistency, creativity, collaboration, and community in under 10 minutes when you subscribe here.
Sources & Further Reading
Reuters - Oracle expects half-a-trillion dollars in RPO and stock surge. Reuters
Moody’s flagged risk in Oracle’s $300B AI contracts – deal with OpenAI etc. Reuters
Fast Company - Ellison becomes biggest media magnate; Paramount & Warner consolidation. The Verge+3Fast Company+3Fast Company
CloudComputing-News & Fisher reports - Ellison’s net worth and valuation moves. cloudcomputing-news.net