Ignite 2024: Boosting AI innovation with Azure Databases

During Ignite 2024, Microsoft CVP Arun Ulag took to the stage to explore the ways that Azure Databases can power AI initiatives. 

“Data is the fuel that powers AI,” he explained, sharing a graphic of hundreds of different data sources. 

Microsoft has competitive, long-established database offerings. SQL Database has existed for nearly 30 years and both PostgreSQL and MySQL continue to gain ground. SQL Server 2025 is now available in private preview. Microsoft is focused on bringing AI natively to SQL Server, with vector search available to build AI apps, along with Fabric and Azure Arc included. Fabric is intended to be friendly to open source data types and able to work atop SQL Server. Fabric databases can be managed with auto-scaling, scheduled backups, and high availability.

Fellow Microsoft CVP Shirish Thota joined Ulag to discuss vector data types and RAG patterns. “We need to innovate quite a bit in being autonomous, making it easier for [SaaS] developers to spend less time in understanding their databases,” he said.