DatDabase is dead. Long live the programmable substrate (www.pingcap.com)

A paradigm shift in database architecture is underway as the rise of agentic AI transforms how data is managed in 2026. Traditional concepts of scaling no longer suffice; the focus has shifted to handling a multitude of ephemeral execution environments, as AI agents demand databases that can manage millions of schemas and contexts simultaneously. The emergence of AI-driven workflows requires systems to be hyper-elastic and agile, fundamentally changing the notion of a database from a static repository to a dynamic, programmable substrate that can quickly branch, evolve, and discard data environments. This shift introduces economic challenges, as the efficiency of AI agents lead to exponential increases in database creation, raising concerns about cost management. Companies must now prioritize a model where costs decrease with demand, utilizing precise usage metrics rather than traditional pricing models. To thrive in this new environment, database systems need to enable rapid provisioning, context-aware intelligence, efficient branching, and strict economic governance. As TiDB Cloud pioneers this development, it highlights a future where databases not only store but actively participate in software creation, paving the way for unprecedented scale and customization in user experiences.