Promoting and protecting companies from the dangers of the web. This is the objective of Akamai, a company founded in 1998 within MIT – Massachusetts Institute of Technology – to develop innovative and effective solutions to improve the distribution of content on the Internet. Over time, the company founded by Tom Leighton, professor of applied mathematics at MIT, and Danny Lewin has continued to solve the challenges posed by the evolution of the Internet, focusing its attention on cloud computing, edge computing, security and other relevant technologies of our time. So much so that it now offers over 50 products that facilitate the work of companies. To better understand how the company has grown over the years (it now has almost 11,000 employees), we asked Alessandro Rivara, Akamai’s Sales Manager in Italy, a few questions.

What was the spark that led to the creation of Akamai?

The beginnings of Akamai can be traced back to a challenge issued by Tim Berners-Lee. In 1995, anticipating the congestion that Internet users would soon experience, he challenged his colleagues at MIT to invent a new way of distributing content on the Internet.

Tom Leighton, professor of applied mathematics at MIT and an expert in parallel algorithms and architecture, accepted the challenge. He realised that applied mathematics and algorithms could provide a solution to the problem of web congestion and brought together a group of researchers to solve it.

The talented Danny Lewin was part of the project and, together with Leighton, developed the mathematical algorithms necessary to intelligently route and replicate content within a vast network of distributed servers, a technology that would lead to the resolution of latency, a problem that was becoming frustrating for Internet users. In 1997, the two began to explore the possible commercial use of their technology, and on 20 August 1998, they founded Akamai.

What is the company’s turnover, how many customers use your solutions and who are the best known?

Akamai Technologies, Inc. is a publicly traded company (NASDAQ: AKAM). Annual revenue in 2023 was 3.8 billion US dollars, increasing by up to 5% year on year and up to 6% excluding currency fluctuations

Akamai has a diverse range of customers in a wide variety of sectors worldwide, including:

All 10 of the top video streaming providers

All 10 major video game companies

All 10 major banks

All major real estate brokerages

9 of the 10 major software companies

9 of the 10 major telecommunications carriers

9 of the 10 major healthcare organisations

9 of the 10 major retailers

8 of the 10 major automotive companies

7 of the 10 major private healthcare companies

7 of the top 10 FinTech (financial technology) companies

7 of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies

All 6 branches of the US military

14 of the 15 US federal government agencies

As you can imagine, the experience gained in a wide variety of sectors allows us to apply strategies to support and mitigate the effects of a cyber attack.

Cloud computing is one of the most important technologies of the present and the future: what services does Akamai offer, and how do they differ from others?

Cloud computing is one of the most strategic and rapidly evolving technologies today, and Akamai stands out in the industry thanks to an innovative approach that combines advanced security, content distribution and a highly distributed and efficient cloud architecture.

One of the distinctive elements of Akamai’s offer is Akamai Connected Cloud, the most distributed cloud computing platform in the world. Unlike traditional hyperscalers that operate on centralised models, Akamai leverages its global network with over 4,100 points of presence to bring applications and workloads closer to end users. This translates into better performance, lower latency and greater resilience for companies operating in critical sectors such as artificial intelligence, multiplayer gaming, social media and data analysis.

Another differentiating element is the Gecko Project (Generalised Edge Compute), which brings the power of cloud computing directly to the Edge – the network perimeter – allowing companies to process data closer to end users. This eliminates the need to choose between a centralised and a distributed infrastructure, offering a uniform and high-performance experience on a global scale.

On the security front, Akamai offers Guardicore Segmentation, a leading solution in micro-segmentation, which is now also extended to hybrid cloud environments. This tool allows companies to reduce the attack surface, improve the visibility of workloads in the cloud and implement security policies more effectively and with a single centralised governance.

Akamai differs from other cloud computing providers because it doesn’t just provide computing and storage capacity but also integrates security, performance, and a highly scalable cloud-native architecture. This combination of factors allows companies to innovate, protect their applications and improve the end-user experience in an increasingly demanding digital landscape.

I would like to focus on 3 trends in cloud computing: rising costs, the increasingly central role of AI and sustainability. How do they fit into Akamai’s strategy, and what do they determine?

Cloud computing is undergoing a phase of profound transformation, driven by three key trends: the growing focus on costs, the increasingly strategic role of Artificial Intelligence and the need for sustainable solutions. In this context, Akamai is positioning itself as an innovative player, offering scalable, high-performance and sustainable alternatives to traditional cloud models.

Optimising costs is a priority for many companies that are trying to find a balance between innovation and financial sustainability. The increase in cloud computing expenses is leading companies to consider hybrid models and edge solutions that reduce latency and data transfer costs while improving operational efficiency. Akamai, with its distributed cloud platform, helps companies reduce their dependence on hyperscalers, offering greater cost predictability and an infrastructure optimised for their needs.

Artificial intelligence is a technology that Akamai has been using for about a decade. The data that is complex to manage in our case is that within traffic flows, it is necessary to classify it, to identify which is good and which is malicious, which is normal, which is abnormal, which comes from humans, which comes from bots. It is complex data, and deep learning has proven to be the perfect tool to support it.

We have, therefore, been using artificial intelligence, particularly deep learning, practically from the beginning. Now, we are using generative AI in our products to make them more efficient, improve problem-solving, and improve the customer experience and employee productivity.

Sustainability is also an increasingly important issue in the technology sector. As the demand for high-performance computing increases, so does the energy consumption of data centres. Akamai is strongly committed to reducing the ecological footprint of its infrastructures, adopting solutions such as advanced cooling and the use of renewable energy. Furthermore, the distributed architecture of Edge computing allows for optimisation of energy consumption, limiting the transfer of data over long distances and thus reducing environmental impact.

Akamai has outlined ambitious sustainability goals to be achieved by 2030, including:

Net zero emissions: aiming to eliminate Scope 1 and 2 emissions through decarbonisation strategies focused on emission-intensive networks.

100% renewable energy: committing to power all global operations and the Akamai Connected Cloud exclusively with renewable sources.

Improving energy efficiency: implementing more efficient hardware and software to reduce the platform’s energy consumption.

Engaging suppliers: collaborating with partners to quantify and reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout the supply chain.

Circular business practices: adopting a holistic approach that includes product life cycle management, electronic waste reduction and engagement with communities and employees.

These objectives reflect Akamai’s commitment to minimising the environmental impact of its operations and promoting a more sustainable future for the cloud computing industry.

Let’s talk about cybersecurity: what are the most serious and widespread threats for companies, and how can they defend themselves with Akamai products?

Until not long ago, cybersecurity was almost exclusively implemented in a very centralised way, with a model that was easily attacked due to vulnerable central points. Our job has been to solve the problem of cybersecurity in a distributed way, acting in a scalable manner. Security and scalability need to work hand in hand. Akamai has a broad portfolio of cybersecurity products that protect everything from infrastructure to applications to the entire corporate network, all aimed at protecting data. This is because the most widespread and probably the most dangerous type of cyber attack today is ransomware, an attack that renders data inaccessible or unusable and allows the attacker to extort money from the victim.

This dynamic has changed even in the last few years when the main threat came from hacktivist groups whose objective was simply to make a statement or cause damage to a company. The increase in cybercrime for profit has really happened in recent years. Our portfolio is, to a large extent, geared towards preventing this type of attack. By protecting infrastructure, applications and the network, we are effectively keeping data safe.

How are companies reacting to the growth of Edge computing and GenAI?

Companies are responding with great interest and increasing investments to the growth of Edge Computing and Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), two technologies that are redefining the way we process and use data.

Edge Computing is becoming increasingly essential for companies that need to reduce latency, improve security and optimise the performance of distributed applications. In particular, sectors such as multiplayer gaming, media streaming, immersive retail and industrial IoT exploit the Edge’s ability to process data closer to end users, avoiding network congestion and guaranteeing real-time responses. Akamai, with its Project Gecko, is bringing cloud computing directly to the Edge, eliminating the traditional distinction between centralised cloud and Edge and offering a more flexible and scalable platform.

At the same time, the growth of GenAI is pushing companies to review their IT infrastructures to support applications that require enormous computing and data management capabilities. GenAI-based tools are finding applications in customer service, process automation, predictive analytics and content personalisation, increasing operational efficiency and improving the user experience. However, the big challenge remains infrastructure: companies need platforms that can manage the training and inference of AI models quickly and economically. The distributed approach of Akamai Connected Cloud offers a concrete solution, allowing data to be processed in multiple global locations with minimal latency and superior efficiency compared to centralised cloud models.

What is the situation in Italy? I would like an overview of cloud computing and cyber security in relation to how much companies invest and how they prepare and train their employees.

In Italy, cloud computing is experiencing significant acceleration with the growing adoption of the hybrid model. Italian companies recognise the strategic value of the cloud for scalability and innovation, but at the same time, they are attentive to costs and security. This has led to an increase in investments in distributed cloud and edge computing solutions, which improve performance, reduce operating costs and guarantee greater data sovereignty.

From a security point of view, the growing sophistication of cyber threats is pushing Italian companies to strengthen their cybersecurity strategies. The adoption of Zero Trust models and advanced protection solutions for cloud-native applications has become a priority. Akamai supports companies in this process through integrated security solutions that protect data and applications from emerging threats, reducing the risks associated with the growing interconnection of cloud systems.

The trend of attacks on API-enabled microservices represents a hugely growing attack surface that requires specific technologies to map the API park and prevent the effects of cybercrime. Akamai’s collaboration with institutional bodies guarantees the compliance of our technology, which contributes significantly to raising the security posture of the most important Italian public and private organisations.

Another fundamental aspect is training. The transition to the cloud and AI requires increasingly specialised skills, and many Italian companies are investing in refresher programmes for their staff. Digital literacy is not just a matter for IT experts but also for non-technical staff, who must be able to understand and use new technologies effectively. In this scenario, the support of technology partners such as Akamai becomes essential to accompany companies on the path of digital transformation and ensure that cloud infrastructures are secure, efficient and sustainable.