Oracle's chief executive, Mike Sicilia, has told investors that AI-assisted software engineering will deliver "Star Wars"-level productivity gains for the company, framing artificial intelligence as a net positive for the industry despite fears of a so-called "SaaSpocalypse" hollowing out software vendors. The comments, made at Deutsche Bank's 2026 Technology Conference, come as Oracle's share price has fallen sharply over the past year and the company has cut its workforce by 21,000 employees.

Sicilia, a developer since 1993, said productivity levels he once dismissed as futuristic fantasy are now "super real". Oracle's headcount fell from roughly 162,000 in May 2025 to about 141,000 by May 2026, with the firm warning further restructuring may follow. The enthusiasm sits awkwardly alongside Oracle's ban on AI-generated contributions to the OpenJDK project over IP and safety concerns, and with customer complaints that its revamped, AI-powered support portal is "not working that well".