What happens in Vegas... definitely doesn't stay in Vegas when the AWS Hong Kong User Group is involved!
We just wrapped up our final meetup of the year, and for me, it was one of the most special sessions we’ve hosted. As I stood there looking at so many old friends and new faces, I realized that while re:Invent is a global phenomenon, its real impact happens when we bring those stories back to our local communities.
I had the privilege of sharing the stage with our UG leader Alex, AWS HK Hero Cyrus, Richard, and our AWS colleague Clifford. Together, we unpacked the massive announcements from AWS re:Invent 2025, but more importantly, we talked about the experience—the chaos, the learning, and the "Renaissance" of being a developer.
Here is my personal look back at our session and the key takeaways that stuck with me.
The "Fear of Missing Out" is Real (But That's Okay)
One thing that resonated with me during our panel discussion was the sheer scale of the event. We’re talking about 60,000+ builders.
I asked the guys, "Why go?" and "How do you survive?" Their answers were eye-opening.
The Hustle: Hearing Clifford talk about running a Game Day at 8:00 AM with over 300 participants—and seeing customers queuing up at 6:30 AM—reminded me of the intense passion in this community.
The Strategy: Cyrus and Richard shared a pro tip that I loved: Jet lag is your friend. Waking up at 5:00 AM in Vegas isn't a burden; it’s a superpower that gets you the best seats at the keynotes.
It made me realize that re:Invent isn't just about the sessions; it's about time management and making choices. As Clifford said, you will always have FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), but you just have to dive in and trust your schedule.
The Tech That Caught My Eye 👀
While I didn't play the "Builder Cards" tournament in Vegas this year (though we definitely played them in HK!), the technical updates our experts shared were game-changers. Here are the three announcements that I think will define our work in 2025:
The Era of the "Sleepless" Agent 🛡️
Richard introduced us to the AWS Security Agent. The concept is fascinating: an AI that acts like a "junior pen-tester" that never sleeps. It doesn't just scan; it reads code and understands logic. Hearing that it found vulnerabilities in a test app within two hours—things a standard scan missed—made me realize we are entering a new phase of agentic workflows where AI is an active teammate, not just a tool.
Simplifying the Complex with Durable Execution ⚡
I’ve seen how painful complex workflows can be for developers. Cyrus and Clifford discussed Lambda Durable Functions, and honestly, it sounds like a relief. The ability to write code-first workflows that can "checkpoint" and wait (for days, if needed!) without paying for idle compute is huge. It brings the focus back to the code logic rather than managing infrastructure glue.
Democratizing RAG with S3 Vectors 📂
We talk a lot about AI, but cost is always the blocker. The new S3 Tables with Vector Support is a massive win for accessibility. Moving vector search to a truly serverless, pay-as-you-go model on S3 means more builders can experiment with RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) without spinning up expensive, dedicated databases.
The "Renaissance Developer"
We ended our session by watching the intro to Dr. Werner Vogels' keynote. It was emotional knowing this is his last keynote, but his message was powerful.
He spoke about the "Renaissance Developer." In a world where AI can write the syntax, our role is shifting. We need to be the ones who think in systems, who communicate, and who understand the "why" behind the "how."
Watching the video with the Hong Kong community, I felt a strong sense of solidarity. We aren't just coders; we are problem solvers. As Werner said, the tools change, but the builder spirit remains.
Looking Ahead
Hosting this recap wasn't just about reading release notes; it was about reliving the energy. From hearing about the "Replay" party (and that giant claw machine!) to discussing the future of AI, it was the perfect way to close out a year where we hosted 9 meetups and our very first Community Day.
I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who supported the AWS User Group this year. Whether you came for the pizza, the stickers, or the knowledge, you are what makes this community great.
Let’s grow even bigger in #2026! 🚀
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. See you in January!
Top comments (0)