08 Sep The Value of Database Expertise for AI and Machine Learning
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are grabbing headlines everywhere these days, and rightly so. But behind all the buzzwords and impressive demos, there’s a less glamorous but absolutely crucial ingredient: solid database expertise.
Deevid De Meyer, founder of Brainjar knows this better than most. In this interview, he explains why database know-how is so vital for successful AI and machine learning projects, and how the shift from DBAs to DBREs is a good thing for AI.
The data pyramid
When Deevid gets talking about AI and ML, you can tell he’s genuinely excited about the possibilities. He’ll mention the amazing stuff we can now do, things that were science fiction just a few years ago. Just think of computers understanding language like humans, recognising objects in real-time, and making smart predictions.
But he’s also quick to bring you back down to earth. “AI and ML are incredibly powerful,” he says, “but they’re like the fancy top of a pyramid. They need a really strong base to stand on, and that base is data. There’s loads of hype around AI and machine learning, but the simple fact is, they just won’t work properly if your data isn’t sorted out.”
Deevid explains his data pyramid idea: “For us, there are roughly three layers. At the top, you’ve got data science, the AI and ML stuff everyone thinks about. That’s where you get all the cool applications. But those applications only work if you’ve got the other two layers underneath, organising and structuring the data.”
“The layer below data science is data engineering. Data engineers build the data pipelines, make sure the data is good quality, and organise it so the AI algorithms can actually use it efficiently.”
“And right at the bottom of the pyramid? Database administration. DBAs make sure the database is up and running, backed up, and secure. It’s essential for working with data, but it’s often the bit people forget about.”
“We know we can always rely on Monin when our data scientists need a database expert to ensure our database infrastructure is rock-solid. It means we can focus on what we’re good at – building great AI applications.”
Building on solid foundations (and the right people)
Deevid stresses that building a solid data foundation for AI isn’t just about choosing the right tech. It’s also about having the right people and giving them the space to focus on the important stuff.
“The database itself is the base layer, but there’s more to it than that. You also need ‘data platform services’. That’s things like data quality, data governance, data security, and compliance. All really important, but not always straightforward to get right.”
“That’s where managed services come in. When you bring in specialists to handle those services, you free up your own team to concentrate on what they’re best at. And that’s where you get real innovation.”
From DBA to DBRE: a shift towards innovation
“The database role itself is evolving too,” Deevid points out. “We’re seeing DBAs becoming DBREs: Database Reliability Engineers. Monin are part of this shift as well. It’s happening because the job is becoming less about just managing the database itself, and more about making sure the whole data platform is reliable and performs well.”
“At Brainjar, being part of the Cronos Group is a real advantage. We can always call on Monin and other experts in the group whenever we need them. For example, when our data scientists need a database expert to make sure our database setup is rock-solid. It lets us focus on building those amazing AI applications and leave the database stuff to the specialists.”
Database expertise: the key to AI success
To sum up our chat with Deevid, database expertise isn’t just “nice to have” for AI and machine learning. It’s fundamental. And as Deevid highlighted, outsourcing your data platform needs to managed services providers can actually drive innovation within your organisation. It’s an interesting trend, and one that’s helping businesses of all sizes really get to grips with AI and ML.
Want to explore outsourcing your database management, or just need to find the right experts to partner with? Get in touch with Monin. We’ve got years of experience helping companies like yours keep their data safe, accessible, and ready for anything – including AI.
