January 2026 Summaries

Agents in the Databricks ecosystem, enhanced by DeltaStream, are now capable of leveraging real-time context rather than relying on micro-batch processing, which is more suitable for analytics but not for the immediate needs of agents. Unlike Databricks' Structured Streaming, which processes data in micro-batches and serves it from a storage layer optimized for analytical scans, DeltaStream employs Apache Flink and ClickHouse to provide continuous and fast real-time context serving. Flink processes events individually, continuously updating the state, while ClickHouse ensures these updates are query-ready, optimizing for the high concurrency and low-latency demands of agents. This architecture shift allows agents to respond instantaneously without the overhead of recomputation or scanning, effectively transforming the way agents operate within Databricks by addressing the serving problem rather than just the compute problem. The integration of DeltaStream within Databricks retains the platform's governance and agent orchestration capabilities while adding the missing real-time layer, crucial for the dynamic and concurrent operations that modern agents require.

DeltaStream is positioned as a crucial real-time context engine for AI agents, addressing the challenges that arise when agents require immediate, continuous, and accurate context to function effectively. As AI agents matured in 2025, transitioning from experimental demonstrations to active roles in monitoring, security, customer service, and more, the limitations of traditional data architectures became apparent. These systems, primarily designed for slower, batch-based processing, struggle to provide the real-time context necessary for agents to make informed decisions. DeltaStream solves this by offering a unified platform that integrates technologies like Apache Flink and ClickHouse to process and serve real-time, continuously updated contexts. This capability allows agents to query live, maintained data, significantly enhancing their ability to respond to dynamic environments accurately. By eliminating the complexity of building and maintaining streaming pipelines, DeltaStream empowers teams to deploy agents more efficiently and cost-effectively, ensuring that real-time context is both accessible and reliable. As real-time context engines become fundamental to AI systems, DeltaStream aims to be the default choice for AI agents needing to understand the world in real-time.