Erik Darling joins me on the Dear SQL DBA Podcast to chat about AI tools, why they work better for Python and PowerShell than SQL, and what’s exciting (and what’s not) in SQL Server 2025.

Along the way we describe the ONE THING we always want to configure in Resource Governor, why at least one SQL Server 2025 feature should be backported to 2022, and whether the universe is text files all the way down.

Audio only

Video

In this Conversation

Erik and I talked about how we currently use AI tools, plus topics related to SQL Server 2025 in this episode.

Erik’s approach to AI is to treat it like a junior developer rather than a SQL Server expert. He uses AI primarily to automate tasks. AI helps him working with APIs to help him reduce manual work to run his business.

We discussed why AI produces better code for Python and PowerShell than SQL. Scripting languages have less ambiguity and clearer error messages, while SQL requires deep context about indexes, data distribution, and performance that AI struggles with.

The highlights we discussed with SQL Server 2025 are Query Store on readable secondaries (finally), Resource Governor now available in Standard Edition, and Standard Edition supporting up to 256GB of memory. The AI features are limited, with DISKANN indexes (vector indexes) making tables read-only. We discussed being wary of enabling preview features with a database scoped level flag: seems fine for development, but this could have unwelcome surprises if you do this in production.

Where to Jump In

Here’s where the major topics start in the conversation:

• [0:00] Introduction and opening banter about AI tools in interviews
• [2:42] Erik’s approach to using AI tools and agents for productivity
• [11:06] Why AI works better for Python and PowerShell than SQL
• [19:45] SQL Server 2025: Finally, Query Store on readable secondaries
• [27:20] Standard Edition improvements: Resource Governor and memory limits
• [31:50] AI features in SQL Server 2025 and preview features concerns

More Dear SQL DBA

Check out the episode index for more conversations about database problems, performance tuning, and the real challenges database professionals face.