The ASEAN region is a hotbed for technological advancements with its rapid digital transformation, increasing e-commerce platforms, and tech startups.
As digital services continue to integrate into daily life in countries like Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia, the need for scalable and advanced databases becomes critical.
There has been a shift from mere curiosity about AI two years ago to practical implementation, driven by the mainstream adoption of generative AI, Aerospike’s vice president and general manager of APJ, Aveekshith Bushan told iTnews Asia in an exclusive interview.
At the user level, developers use AI for tooling, while e-commerce platforms in ASEAN including Shopee and Lazada use it to understand user preferences and provide personalised experiences.
According to Bushan, while real-time access to large data volumes is critical, the real challenge lies in simplifying the development of complex applications.
To address this, he said the database ecosystem is now evolving beyond traditional graph models, which map relationships as nodes and edges.
Databases are modernising and incorporating features including probabilistic models and vector search to predict outcomes from data.
Discussing the right database development strategies that users can take, Bushan said that while many businesses realise the importance of AI, many are still uncertain about how to start, where to begin, and which solutions to implement.
This includes navigating regulatory requirements and understanding the technology landscape, which has led to the emergence of roles specifically designed to help companies adopt AI.
Currently, there has been an increasing necessity among micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and startups to balance IT infrastructure needs with reducing carbon emissions.
Look at hybrid memory databases to reduce your carbon use
Organisations and governments today are pushing towards zero carbon emissions, with timelines and commitments across different regions.
The challenge lies in achieving growth while minimising carbon footprints, as every computing resource contributes to carbon emissions.
Traditional in-memory databases need numerous servers to store and process vast amounts of data as data is kept in memory (RAM).
More servers mean higher power consumption, leading to increased carbon emissions.
According to Bushan, Aerospike’s patented hybrid memory architecture stores data on SSD drives while keeping only the indexing information in memory.
This approach cuts down the number of required server nodes, from potentially thousands to just 50 to 75 nodes.
It is applicable even at petabyte scales, he added.
The reduction in hardware lowers operational costs and decreases power consumption and carbon emissions.
Bushan said Aerospike is addressing these data management challenges with its replication capabilities to ensure data remains consistent and up to date across locations.
Doing so eliminates the problem of stale data, crucial for applications like payment systems where real-time accuracy is mandatory, he added.
Aerospike recently invested US$ 109 million (S$ 147 million) to enhance its go-to-market capabilities for core transaction, analytics, and AI solutions, including vector and graph databases.
Going forward, Bushan said database vendors need to address multifaceted challenges such as regulatory compliance, data security, and the skills gap in the diverse APAC region.
Importance of compliance with privacy standards
The evolving landscape of data privacy laws also poses a challenge, Bushan said, as countries including India with its DPDP Act (Digital Personal Data Protection Act) and Europe with GDPR, are enforcing stringent data privacy regulations.
“These laws require that data be stored securely, access to it be consent-based, and storage duration be limited as per user consent.”
He added that database vendors, including Aerospike, adapt to these regulatory requirements by incorporating features that allow users to control data access, storage duration, and data isolation.
This ensures compliance with local and global privacy standards.
Further to this, security is crucial for enterprise software, and any gaps can pose significant risks.
“The skills gap in the industry is also a hurdle but this is something that is fast changing given the widespread adoption we are seeing in the market and that partners have a role to play to bridge this divide,” Bushan said.
“Unlike relational databases such as Oracle or MySQL, which have a well-established base of skilled professionals, newer technologies face a shortage of experienced users.”