Now that we are in 2025, artificial intelligence has firmly established itself as a transformative force in how businesses manage and scale their data infrastructure. For those following these developments, it’s evident that AI-driven systems are no longer just emerging—they are fundamentally changing the landscape, making data management smarter, faster and far more adaptable. Here’s what we think 2025 will hold for us regarding the future of database management in an AI-driven world.
1. Vector and graph databases address complex data challenges in 2025
Vector databases have become essential in the AI era because they enable fast and efficient similarity searches for high-dimensional data, which is key for new solutions in e.g. search, large-language-models and computer vision. In this field, MariaDB is pushing the boundaries of what is possible in data management by integrating vector search capabilities into their hugely popular relational database. MariaDB Vector can thus now empower businesses with large relational data sets to easily tackle new advanced AI workflows. Whether it’s powering smarter recommendation systems, analysing customer behaviour or extracting insights from enterprise data, MariaDB is helping organisations manage increased complexity in a super efficient way.
For industries grappling with complex relationships—whether mapping supply chains, analysing networks or organising sprawling datasets—graph databases are indispensable. Hygraph, an OpenOcean portfolio company, addresses one of the greatest challenges facing modern businesses: managing complex data relationships. Its federated content platform, powered by GraphQL, is designed for flexibility and scalability, allowing organisations to handle and retrieve intricate data structures with ease. One of their standout features is its Schema Builder, which enables users to define and manage relationships between content models. This capability transforms even the most intricate datasets into a unified, intuitive graph, streamlining data management. Whether managing digital catalogues or global streaming services, Hygraph’s solution offers the adaptability required to handle diverse and evolving data needs.
2. Autonomous databases and AI-enhanced analytics redefine efficiency in 2025
Autonomous databases are driving a new wave of efficiency by automating routine tasks and allowing organisations to focus on what really matters: growth and innovation. Take Supermetrics, for example, one of our portfolio companies. Their Supermetrics Data Warehousing Platform revolutionises marketing data integration, enabling businesses to access and analyse data from multiple platforms with minimal manual input. By reducing the complexity of data handling, these tools allow organisations to streamline decision-making and allocate resources where they’re needed most.
Similarly, platforms like Databricks leverage AI-driven data lakehouse systems to deliver real-time analytics. For example, a retailer can monitor customer purchase patterns in the moment, dynamically adjusting recommendations or inventory decisions to maximise efficiency and profits. This ability to act instantly on insights is reshaping how businesses operate in today’s competitive landscape.
3. AGI solutions unlock the full potential of enterprise data
In 2025, the focus on secure AI solutions is growing as organisations seek to harness the power of enterprise data while safeguarding privacy and compliance. Balancing innovation with security is now a top priority for businesses adopting AI technologies.
MindsDB, another OpenOcean portfolio company, is one of the first Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) Platform built for the Enterprise, enabling organisations to build large language model (LLM) solutions or AI Agents directly on their company data. With a core emphasis on protecting sensitive information, MindsDB ensures compliance and privacy while allowing businesses to leverage their data for advanced applications. Their Minds Platform allows for unprecedented speed in AI processing over terabytes of data. This approach is enabling organisations to unlock the full value of all their huge amounts of distributed data without compromising trust or security.
All in all, the future of database management is being defined by AI, and this is only the beginning. As autonomous databases and real-time analytics become standard practice, and as hybrid systems and graph databases tackle increasingly complex problems, the opportunities for innovation feel limitless.
So, what does this mean for businesses? Simply put, we are in the midst of a new era in data management. And if you are still clinging to outdated systems or manual processes, now is the time to rethink your approach. With AI leading the charge, managing data isn’t just becoming easier—it’s getting much smarter. Because let’s face it, the machines have already proven they’re better at this than we are.
