Stephen Downes

Data engineers are in the unusual position of not only being threatened with replacement by AI, but also of being the people responsible for ensuring the reach and reliability of AI. So their role isn't disappearing just yet, according to this article. "The next generation of AI systems requires real-time context and responsive pipelines that support autonomous decisions across distributed systems, well beyond traditional data pipelines that can only support batch-trained models or power reports." Quite right. I would not be surprised to learn that there's a "React for AI input" in a pitch deck out there somewhere for a system that sends real-time updates to an AI context. Andy Kwan reflects, "While data engineers are responsible for keeping up with these innovations, that can be easier said than done, due to steep learning curves and the time required to truly upskill in something versus AI's perpetual wheel of change."