For most of computing history, software was pre-written. Humans defined the algorithm, structured the data, and computers executed the instructions. Databases and SQL became indispensable because that world required careful storage and precise retrieval.
AI breaks that pattern. Models can now interpret unstructured information, reason about context, and generate a fresh response each time. The output is not simply looked up. It is produced in the moment.
Once intelligence is generated in real time, the stack beneath it changes as well. Compute, power, latency, retrieval, orchestration, and safety become part of the product, not background details.