Unpacking the Database-AI Connection: Why It Matters

Oracle Academy Tech Chat

In this episode host Lorna Juma speaks with Dr. Lawrence Nderu on Unpacking the Database-AI Connection and Why It Matters. If you’re an educator, student, or tech enthusiast curious about the backbone of artificial intelligence systems, this episode is your gateway to understanding the vital role of databases in artificial intelligence and machine learning. ----------------------------------------------------------- Episode Transcript:

00;00;09;02 - 00;00;35;04 Welcome to the Oracle Academy Tech Chat. This podcast provides educators and students in-depth discussions with thought leaders around computer science, cloud technologies, and software design to help students on their journey to becoming industry ready technology leaders of the future. Let's get started. Welcome to the Oracle Academy Tech Chat, where we discuss how Oracle Academy prepares the next generation's Laplace.

00;00;35;06 - 00;01;08;10 I'm your host, Lorna Juma. In this episode, I am joined by Doctor Laurence Darrow, a lecturer and research fellow in the Department of Computing at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. Today, we're uncovering how databases, power artificial intelligence and machine learning, two of the most transformative forces in the tech world. If you're an educator, student, and tech enthusiast curious about the backbone of AI systems, this episode is your gateway to understanding the vital role of databases in AI and machine learning.

00;01;08;12 - 00;01;35;11 To start off, Doctor Lawrence, thank you so much for joining us. Can you give me a bit about your background and the classes you teach? Yeah. Thank you so much for having me. I really think that this is a very important conversation and happy and, to work with you guys to promote the use of these solutions and these technologies for the purpose of making sure that, we have a generation that is well informed and ready for work.

00;01;35;13 - 00;02;06;07 So to start with, I am a lecturer and also the chairman, Department of Computing at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. I'm also the founder of Jacob Moffett, which is a digital innovation hub that is based at the University of Jomo Kenyatta in Gloucester. Work and culture. In technology. I currently I do teach units that relates to AI and machine learning and also applied machine learning.

00;02;06;10 - 00;02;34;01 I also do supervise the students at the level of BHB and Masters. While working on areas of AI and machine learning. And those are the areas that that that the working on. I also read research teams that are working on innovations and I Jacob, in terms of building solutions that are using AI as the basis for, solving some problems and also others that are using AI to improve the operations.

00;02;34;03 - 00;03;00;17 Thank you, doctor Larry Entwistle. Glad to have you join us as an expert to discuss this important topic. Now, could you break down the fundamental relationship between databases and AI? Why are robust databases critical for building effective AI models? Thank you. So the first thing is that the data is the food for AI. And we have had the same being said every now and then.

00;03;00;17 - 00;03;29;18 That data is the new oil. And I think that also means that we need these data to be data that is accessible in a way that is use that work. I mean, and efficient manner. So, it means that AI is being powered by data and whether this data is structured data or unstructured data. We need data to be know about is accessible and also accessible in an efficient manner.

00;03;29;20 - 00;04;01;18 So the connection really is the fact that traditionally when we dealt with the data, we were looking at it like say more or less data that was relational based databases. Now we know that data is found in many other formats. We have data, of course, in structured. We have data in semi-structured. We have data in unstructured formats. All these data needs to be stored in ways that it can be consumed, be consumed by AI, systems.

00;04;01;21 - 00;04;28;27 And that's where now the connection comes. Because the better the data, the better you are able to create models in the AI that are effective. And they are also able to answer very many questions that that one would want. So to answer that question is that the connection is clear, that we need, data to power AI systems, and we need systems that can be able to store these data in a way that that, that I can consume it in a better way.

00;04;28;27 - 00;04;54;06 And we have the pipeline. We need that pipeline that provides data and then feeds into the, AI models or AI systems so that they can be able to make decisions and improve our ability. And now, as an educator and researcher, how do you recommend teachers and institutions incorporate database hands on teaching into their AI and machine learning curricula?

00;04;54;09 - 00;05;25;13 What approaches or tools have you found most effective for engaging student in this critical area? Number one is that if I may just mention something about as a Jomo Kenyatta, we reviewed our curriculum and one of the things that we did, in the reading of the curriculum that is currently being used is that we are very keen to make sure that we retain and then and force the aspect of covering database systems.

00;05;25;16 - 00;05;57;22 So there is and you cover sections in database systems in detail, looking at how to design them to the extent of looking at the advanced concept in databases, which of course goes to the extent of talking about considering security and such aspect in databases. So, it is a very important component to when you are teaching databases, one has to consider, number one, the fact that these are the people who then go ahead and now come on.

00;05;57;24 - 00;06;26;28 I introduction to AI and also machine learning. And they will be consuming these, these databases. So what we have done is that we, able to provide this background and then when it comes to no coverage tools like Oracle databases, the country AI, which of course, I found very important because it uses AI in vector search, for data retrieval, analysis of AI driven applications.

00;06;26;28 - 00;06;52;14 It's a very well thought up idea in terms of trying to integrate advanced AI, capabilities directly to the database engine. The idea behind this is because we, we would want smart data handling capability to be ingrained in the data. We would want to have advanced analytics to be also, ingrained within these, these kind of databases.

00;06;52;17 - 00;07;20;04 And also if you think about known going to the industry, we would be the industries would work to get, insights from their data on what they can be able to do with that. So what I would say is that when you are now teaching and you look at, you have taught concept in databases, and now when you go to teaching things like machine learning or AI, you are able to show that compute the students or even the runners.

00;07;20;06 - 00;07;42;05 The connection between having a good foundation in databases and using various tools and understanding how to make use of, various, tools that are coming up. Like I mentioned, data restrict the I was at points that I needed, making the process of, being able to, to get insights from your data are very important.

00;07;42;10 - 00;08;11;12 So it means that these people, when they go in the industry, they have skills and practical skills that they can be able now to demonstrate in the industry that whatever they are, brand has value and they can and value to the businesses. So it is very relevant that as we teach, first of all, the thinking through about the curriculum, the way it is designed in such a way that it allows for students to do practical concept that leads them to be applicable to the industry.

00;08;11;15 - 00;08;52;00 It's very important and includes that exist within for or instructor for instructors that that are already online that that they can be able to use some of the courses that that are being designed for them, that they can be able to use the event for, programing, databases, that exist today at PL SQL. Like I mentioned one, we have a database programing with SQL itself to be able to give a foundation and then going to things like, artificial intelligence so that the concept in artificial intelligence, we don't just think that they can only be implemented in Python, we can implement them in Java, we can implement them in other things.

00;08;52;02 - 00;09;14;11 We just need to understand the concept. And then we are able to do that practically. That's that. That it empowers that person, empowers the students, that eventually we are able to get our, you know, our system, having done those practical’s. And now for students interested in pursuing a career in, I do think they should start by building a strong foundation in database skills.

00;09;14;14 - 00;09;39;08 How does database knowledge empower their journey in AI and machine learning? Well, I think that what I would say is, number one is that if you look at the Oracle Academy, which, is a tool that is really very valuable, to teach and also, demonstrate some of the tools that also exist and also provision of software tools, cloud and also software tools.

00;09;39;10 - 00;10;00;18 And we also have BigQuery. But you can download content that you can download. And it also provides assessment that you can use in class. The idea is that you don't have to use it the way it is. You can take it and then you add or even subtract the items that you want to do it. So it's content that is ready and you can use it as it is.

00;10;00;18 - 00;10;34;23 Or you can be to, custom it the way you would want. It allows for, researchers to be able to focus on being able to improve and having something that we can start with. So, there is a point that exists, especially the library. The EDI, and power, even students we are talking about, even students logging in and cutting out some of the practical aspects like, say, they can be able to make use of the Oracle Cloud or Oracle Cloud Academy apex.

00;10;34;25 - 00;11;02;20 They can also use Oracle Academy license software that I wanted to say that again this available to on the member hub. Those are codes that to make sure that you are able to get us to that being able to do practical aspect important we also mentioned and I think this is in this day and age is very important for the students is that they can also be able to, get certificates, which of course, can enrich their profiles.

00;11;02;20 - 00;11;28;23 You can be able to get, a badge, you can be able to get some certificate that you can be able to, display and writing in terms of where you use it or where you, you are able to, to, to, to make use of that. I would also say that because databases have their role, and really we are talking about, tools that the initially I say more the focus was on relational database.

00;11;28;24 - 00;12;01;12 We have moved from there to No SQL databases and Oracle provides and the NoSQL databases, which, provides very good there for organization or for application. It provides capability for scalability for distributed key value databases, because of course, no SQL databases can be a use that approach where you have key writing databases, they provide high veracity, they provide high volume workloads that that's something that is very attractive for that.

00;12;01;15 - 00;12;26;10 We also have the, ideal, Oracle database. IBM, which is more or less built to optimize and automated solutions, but you can deploy and manage. I see that because the reason why I'm talking about that is because of the fact that it integrates within the database. 23 I which of course it helps you in implementing.

00;12;26;10 - 00;13;10;01 In a vector search, which we already know, walking the AI how vector search has been used to even in other. I gave a domain to be able to help improve the branding of, AI systems. I also would want to mention that another very important one is the database or cloud services which is Oracle Database Cloud Services. They exactly which provides some level when autonomous databases and this services that you, you can be able to deploy there with varying levels of control and automation so that users can be what can be that the organization can be able to work with that having different levels of control.

00;13;10;06 - 00;13;42;18 So all those tools are available to the instructors or to their actors, and we can try them out. Because students have the ability. When you go to the Oracle Academy, you have both tools available within the member tools. And I very of course, you also have the cloud and software services, as I've said, and those are very important tools that today, make an instructor be able to provide, real practical world, applications for whatever you are teaching.

00;13;42;20 - 00;14;03;02 And just now moving on to the final question. And maybe you have covered this, but maybe if you have anything additional, if you could give, what a piece of advice to, to your students, what would it be? So, number one, I would say that, it's very, good time now to be a student.

00;14;03;02 - 00;14;34;09 I would say that because even organization or companies that like Oracle that are building software and all that, they are also thinking about empowering you at a bit class level. So it is very important that as a student, one tries to be able to take advantage of these tools that have been provided. The idea is that when you work with the crowd from the university, even if you go out to the business, you will find yourself being able to fit into better.

00;14;34;09 - 00;14;57;04 Well. So my advice is that all these companies are now closer to us. Closer to us means that, even universities that are in developing countries like we are, we are able to get, these software as we are able to get, these tools, we are able to get to this curriculum. So whatever is being taught. Yeah, is something that you can say is globally be covered elsewhere.

00;14;57;11 - 00;15;24;29 So why not take advantage of that? Why not get as many certificates as you can? You don't be need to be the most clear on what is covered in class. Because think about, what certificates that exist, how well they tried to make sure that you are where you want and when you go for interviews, even for job application for those ones who are looking at that, you will be different.

00;15;25;05 - 00;15;50;06 And you can only be different if you take those steps. Thank you. Wow. Thank you so much, Doctor Lawrence. And thank you so much for, you know, just your time and sharing your expertise with us, for this enlightening and engaging discussion. You know, this is a complex topic and you have broken it down into small, digestible bits, for our listeners who are especially our students.

00;15;50;06 - 00;16;16;07 So thank you so much. And for our listeners, visit our website, academy.oracle.com to learn more about Oracle Academy's, teaching and learning resources, subscribe to our podcast. Feel free to share with your friends. You can also follow Oracle Academy on Instagram and Facebook. Just to keep up with our activities. Thank you so much. That wraps up this episode.

00;16;16;13 - 00;16;21;12 Thanks for listening and stay tuned for the next Oracle Academy Tech Chat podcast.