Open-source databases in the AI era: Meet Microsoft at All Things Open

AI is changing applications. And applications are changing databases.

Developers are building experiences that need to work with more data, serve more users, and deliver intelligent results in real time. But here is the important part: developers still want to use the tools, languages, databases, and open-source technologies they already know.

I have spent my career working with data platforms, and one lesson continues to stand out. The most successful technologies evolve with developers. They preserve what works while creating new ways to solve the next generation of application challenges.

That is what makes this such an exciting time for open-source databases.

We’re seeing developers push open-source databases into places they were not designed for a decade ago, powering AI applications, operating at cloud scale, and supporting workloads that demand both performance and resilience. At Microsoft, we are investing across open-source database technologies and services to help developers move from an idea on their laptop to applications operating at cloud scale.

Open source, from local development to the cloud

The future is about bringing the best of both open source and cloud together.

Developers want familiar APIs, tools, extensions, and programming models. As applications scale, they also need performance, availability, security, and operational resilience. AI introduces another set of requirements, including vector search, new retrieval patterns, real-time data access, and the ability to operate reliably as applications grow.

At Microsoft, our investment in open source starts upstream. From contributions and engineering collaboration to developer tooling and community engagement, we believe innovation happens alongside the communities that create these technologies. As outlined in Shireesh Thota’s blog, From Commit to Cloud, our goal is to help power what’s next for open-source databases like PostgreSQL, by contributing both to the project and the ecosystem around it. Across our databases, Azure provides a common platform that brings together performance, security, global scale, and developer choice.

Our work spans several open-source database technologies and services:

• Azure DocumentDB, a fully managed MongoDB-compatible database service built on the open-source DocumentDB engine, enabling developers to use familiar MongoDB tools and drivers while supporting local, hybrid, and multicloud development patterns.
• Azure HorizonDB, currently in preview, is Microsoft’s next-generation cloud-native PostgreSQL-compatible database service, engineered for high-performance, mission-critical applications and AI workloads.
• Azure Database for PostgreSQL, a fully managed PostgreSQL compatible service that helps developers build and scale modern applications using the PostgreSQL community technology, tools, and extensions they already know.
• Azure Database for MySQL, a managed MySQL service that simplifies operations, security, and scalability so developers can focus on building applications rather than managing database infrastructure.

Open-source databases, AI, and developer tooling at All Things Open 2026

This October, I am heading to Raleigh for All Things Open 2026. Microsoft is a Platinum Sponsor, and our engineers, product leaders, and advocates will be there to exchange ideas, share what we are building, and learn from the open-source community.

Here are some of the sessions you don’t want to miss:

PostgreSQL for the AI Era: From Open Source to Cloud-Native Scale

I will lead a lunch session exploring how PostgreSQL is evolving for cloud-native and AI-powered applications. We will look at Microsoft’s work with PostgreSQL, from contributions to the core project to cloud-native innovations that help PostgreSQL scale on Azure. We will also examine Azure HorizonDB and the architectural ideas behind creating a cloud-native service that remains PostgreSQL at its core. The goal is straightforward: deliver new levels of scale and resilience without requiring developers to learn a different database.

Building a MongoDB-Compatible Database in the Open

Open source development is as much about how technology gets built as it is about the finished technology. In this talk, Patty Chow walks through Azure DocumentDB, an open source, MongoDB-compatible database project governed by the Linux Foundation. She’ll explore some of the technical decisions involved in building MongoDB compatibility, how developers can use familiar drivers and tools, and what open governance and community participation mean for the project’s evolution.

Local to Cloud and Back: Building Hybrid Applications on Open Source

In this hands-on workshop, Patty Chow will explore how developers can use open-source technologies to build applications that span local and cloud environments. Attendees will learn practical patterns for creating hybrid applications while maintaining the flexibility and portability that make open source valuable to developers.

Don’t Let the Chocolate Pile Up: Scaling DevRel Content with AI Agents

Nitya Narasimhan will take the AI agent conversation in a different direction by examining how agents can support developer relations teams. Her session will explore practical approaches to scaling technical content and community engagement with AI-powered workflows. It is a good example of how agents can help solve real operational challenges beyond the applications we traditionally associate with AI.

Bring your questions and ideas

One of the best parts of an open-source event is the conversation. You learn as much in the hallways and community spaces as you do in the sessions.

If you are attending All Things Open 2026, join one of our talks, participate in the workshop, or connect with our speakers to continue the conversation before, during, and after the event:

• Bob Ward: PostgreSQL for the AI Era: From Open Source to Cloud-Native Scale
• Patty Chow: Building MongoDB-Compatible Database in the Open and Local to Cloud and Back: Building Hybrid Applications on Open Source
• Nitya Narasimhan: Don’t Let the Chocolate Pile Up: Scaling DevRel Content with AI Agents

Whether you work with PostgreSQL, DocumentDB, MySQL, developer tooling, or AI agents, we want to hear what you are building and the challenges you are trying to solve.

Open source continues to shape every major shift in software development. AI will be no different. I look forward to seeing you in Raleigh.