In a recent webinar, Randy Knight, Founder and President of SQL Solutions Group, shared how AI tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot are reshaping the daily work of database administrators.
“The problem we all face,” Randy began, “is too much time spent on repetitive scripting. If you’ve been a DBA for more than a year or two, a lot of what you do is the same thing, over and over again.”
He compared the idea of using AI to having a junior DBA or assistant on staff — someone who can take specific requests (“write a T-SQL or PowerShell script to accomplish X”) and deliver draft code for review. The human DBA still validates and refines the output, but AI handles the tedious setup work.
“That becomes an incredible force multiplier,” he explained. “It helps with troubleshooting, fills knowledge gaps across teams, and keeps documentation from falling behind. It’s that moment every DBA has had — ‘If only I had another DBA.’”
From Repetition to Efficiency
Randy emphasized that the goal isn’t to replace human expertise. Instead, AI tools enhance productivity and let DBAs focus on higher-value tasks.
He noted Microsoft’s strategic shift toward Copilot integration, adding with a laugh that a friend at Microsoft said, “It used to be that everything had to be called Azure Something — now it has to be Copilot Something.”
Despite the branding, the underlying purpose is clear: to make existing SQL Server workflows faster and more efficient.
AI as a Force Multiplier
Several areas where AI can add immediate value for database professionals:
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Generating and fixing T-SQL scripts
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Speeding up troubleshooting steps
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Surfacing best practices
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Automating documentation
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Enhancing learning and knowledge transfer
Randy shared that, even after decades of experience, ChatGPT has introduced him to new techniques. “I’ll ask it to write a script, and it’ll do something in a way I hadn’t thought of,” he said. “I’ve genuinely learned new approaches from it.”
ChatGPT vs. the Traditional Search
Randy described ChatGPT as “Google on steroids.” While traditional searches may return hundreds of Stack Overflow posts, ChatGPT can often deliver a usable answer in seconds — complete with source links.
However, he cautioned against blind trust: “It’s not always right. Sometimes it’s really, really wrong. Just like Stack Overflow, you have to review and validate it.”
Real-World Applications
One area where AI excels is working with PowerShell DBA Tools — a staple in SQL Solutions Group’s consulting work. ChatGPT can generate solid starter scripts tailored to specific DBA tasks.
For Randy, this represents the future of database work: not automation for automation’s sake, but amplification — using AI to free DBAs from repetition and empower them to focus on deeper, more impactful work.
Watch our full AI and SQL Server Webinar here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8tz14X-4nc
Watch a DEMO Clip from Randy Knight here: https://youtu.be/zuRMQq9vOes
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AI for DBAs
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ChatGPT for SQL Server
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Microsoft Copilot SQL Server
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database automation tools
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SQL Solutions Group
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AI in database administration
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DBA productivity
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Randy Knight webinar
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PowerShell DBA Tools
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SQL Server AI assistant
