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Why Agents Break Traditional Databases | Andy Pavlo

November 10, 2026 · 24 min

Show notes

Carnegie Mellon professor and ClickHouse VP of Database Research Andy Pavlo breaks down why AI agents demand an entirely new database layer. He covers how nonstop query volumes and vibe coding break legacy systems, ClickHouse’s expansion into managed Postgres with the Xata acquisition, and his predictions for agent-written databases. Check out our sponsor Lovable: https://lovable.dev. Turn ideas into software people love.



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Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:38) Career Path In Databases

(02:03) What Is ClickHouse?

(04:01) First Months At ClickHouse Labs

(06:42) How Agents Impact Database Traffic

(09:02) Designing An Agent Database From Scratch

(11:29) Breaking Down The Launch Announcements

(18:24) Rapid-Fire Future Predictions

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Note: This podcast is not investment, legal, or tax advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies and securities discussed; do your own research before acting on anything you hear.


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