Bringing AI Into The Inner Loop of Data Engineering With Ascend

This episode explores the integration of AI into data engineering platforms, specifically focusing on Ascend.io's approach. The discussion begins by highlighting the challenges of data migrations, which are often lengthy and resource-intensive, before introducing Datafold's AI-powered solution as a contrasting example of accelerated migration. Against this backdrop of industry challenges, Sean Knapp, founder and CEO of Ascend.io, discusses how Ascend automates data engineering tasks and incorporates AI to improve efficiency. More significantly, the conversation delves into the impact of generative AI on data engineering, noting that while software engineering has seen significant advancements with tools like Copilot, data engineering is yet to experience a similar transformative moment. For instance, the lack of a unified metadata layer hinders the development of truly effective AI-powered tools for data engineers. The conversation concludes by emphasizing the need for AI-native development environments and the potential for AI to automate maintenance, migration, and documentation tasks, ultimately making data engineering more efficient and delightful.