How SUSE positions itself as the infrastructure layer for the AI era

In this episode of The New Stack Makers, Pete Smails outlines how SUSE is evolving from its Linux roots into an AI-native infrastructure platform. Speaking at KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe 2026, Smails explains the company’s strategy to unify AI, containers and virtual machines on a single open, enterprise-ready foundation. Central to this is SUSE Rancher Prime, which enables consistent orchestration across hybrid and multi-cloud environments, alongside SUSE Virtualization for modernizing legacy systems. A key innovation is “Liz,” a context-aware AI agent embedded in Rancher Prime that helps engineers identify vulnerabilities, troubleshoot deployments and interact with infrastructure using natural language. Unlike generic AI tools, Liz understands real-time cluster states and uses Model Context Protocol to deliver actionable insights. Smails emphasizes developer experience as critical to adoption, highlighting Rancher Developer Access for simplified local Kubernetes workflows. Overall, SUSE aims to deliver secure, automated infrastructure that reduces complexity while accelerating cloud-native and AI adoption. https://thenewstack.io/suse-ai-infrastructure-kubernetes/ Learn more from The New Stack around the latest around SUSE: SUSE Displays Enhanced Enterprise Linux at SUSECON https://thenewstack.io/suse-displays-enhanced-enterprise-linux-at-susecon/ SUSE Launches a Sovereign Premium Support Service for EU Customers https://thenewstack.io/suse-launches-a-sovereign-premium-support-service-for-eu-customers/ Join our community of newsletter subscribers to stay on top of the news and at the top of your game. https://thenewstack.io/newsletter