The timelessness of vector databases | Pinecone’s Ram Sriharsha

With massive context windows and new agent frameworks, do vector databases still matter? Ram Sriharsha, CTO at Pinecone, joins the conversation to make the definitive case that they"re more critical than ever. He explains that at the core of all AI is search, and externalizing this function is non-negotiable for security, auditability, and control. Ram offers a clear starting path for engineering leaders: begin with simple Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) applications, but immediately implement a robust evaluation framework to manage hallucinations and ensure quality. He shares his perspective on the skills that matter most now, arguing that curiosity and the rise of the generalist engineer are critical in an AI-powered world. This episode is a guide to building the AI stack from the ground up, from using AI as a "good junior engineer" for testing to cultivating the engineering mindset of tomorrow. Bring AI into your code review process with LinearB Follow the hosts:Follow BenFollow Andrew Follow today"s guest(s):Learn more about Pinecone: pinecone.ioPinecone Tutorials & Blog: Explore guides on RAG, vector databases, and moreConnect with Ram Sriharsha: LinkedIn Referenced in today"s show:Your New 500K AI Coworkers Just ArrivedHow I influence tech company politics as a staff software engineerCoinbase says 40% of code written by AI, mostly tests and TypescriptCelebrating 1 Trillion Web Pages Archived Support the show: Subscribe to our Substack Leave us a review Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn Offers: Learn about Continuous Merge with gitStream Get your DORA Metrics free forever