Inside Perspectives: What does AI mean for Redgate?

Jeff Foster, Director of Technology & Innovation at Redgate, explains how Redgate is approaching the AI revolution.

Redgate's AI graphics

As we celebrate Redgate’s 25th anniversary, it’s a great time to reflect on how far we’ve come and where we’re headed. Our longstanding mantra has been “ingeniously simple” software – tools that empower users to accomplish tasks they might not have thought possible.

With the arrival of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, we’re entering a new era of interacting with computers using natural language. So, how is Redgate approaching this AI revolution?

The potential risks of AI

First, it’s important to understand the potential risks of AI:

  • Hallucinations: LLMs can generate plausible but entirely made-up information. We saw this when an airline’s AI customer service bot invented a non-existent refund policy. The company was held responsible, and the chatbot was quickly removed.
  • Bias: LLMs are trained on internet data, which can reflect and amplify societal biases. For example, when asked to create images of “a man and a woman in a car,” AI systems often put the man in the driver’s seat.
  • Security: LLMs are trained on all kinds of internet data, including potentially harmful information. Without proper safeguards, it’s possible to manipulate an AI system to share inappropriate or dangerous content
  • Enfeeblement: There’s a risk of relying too much on AI, which could erode human skills and decision-making abilities. We’ve already seen this with GPS navigation. There have been numerous incidents of drivers following GPS instructions without thinking and ending up in dangerous situations, including reports of cars being driven into docks because the driver was just “following the sat nav.” It’s a stark reminder of how over-reliance on technology can override common sense and local knowledge.

Despite these risks, the potential benefits of AI are huge. Companies that don’t explore and use AI tools risk falling behind. The key is finding the right balance between making the most of AI’s capabilities and managing its risks.

Redgate’s approach to AI

At Redgate, our approach can be summed up in one word: safety.

Redgate’s tools have always focused on making database changes easy and reliable. We build trust by creating user experiences that give confidence in the changes users make, whether that’s SQL Prompt highlighting which database you’re connected to, or Flyway Desktop asking for changes to be reviewed before they’re deployed.

This philosophy fits perfectly with Redgate’s approach to AI. Whether code is written by a human or an AI, it should be reviewed carefully before being used. It’s crucial that users always know what’s happening to their database. Any AI solutions Redgate creates will support human workflows, rather than replacing them. We’re keeping skilled professionals at the heart of decision-making.

Here’s a sample of what Redgate is doing with AI right now:

  • SQL Prompt+ (in early access): We’ve added ChatGPT to SQL Prompt, meaning it can now understand plain English descriptions of what you want to do and write the SQL queries for you. It’s like having an expert DBA assistant.
  • Redgate Monitor: We’re working on time forecasting predictions to help manage noisy alert data. This will help you anticipate database performance issues.
  • Test Data Management: We’re exploring synthetic data generation to create new datasets from existing ones. This approach to synthetic data management will help maintain database relevance while removing personally identifiable information (PII).

The future of AI-assisted database management

Looking ahead, we think AI systems will become more personalized and secure. Companies will likely develop their own AI solutions tailored to their specific data and knowledge. This doesn’t mean we won’t need database experts anymore. Instead, it will change the way we tackle the ongoing challenge of adapting to evolving business needs. AI will be a powerful tool for gathering information and planning solutions.

Imagine discussing a complex database issue with an AI assistant. This AI, with access to your system data and a deep understanding of best practices, could suggest solutions for you to review and refine. Redgate tools would then help you implement and test these changes safely. This combines AI’s analytical strength with human expertise and oversight.

At Redgate, we’re not trying to replace human expertise with AI. We want to augment it. By automating tasks, we aim to free up database professionals to focus on complex, high-level challenges that truly need human insight and creativity.

As we enter this new era of AI-assisted database management, Redgate is committed to using AI’s potential while staying true to our core mission: making database work easier, safer, and more efficient. We’re excited to continue innovating in database technology for the next 25 years and beyond.

Redgate’s Inside Perspectives offer a selection of insights from industry experts on current hot topics. 

Find out more about the latest AI trends and insights in Redgate’s State of the Database Landscape report.

Tools in this post

Redgate Monitor

Real-time SQL Server and PostgreSQL performance monitoring, with alerts and diagnostics

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Redgate Test Data Manager

Reliable and secure test data provisioning

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SQL Prompt

Write, format, and refactor SQL effortlessly

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