AI Use Cases to Triple, Finds Apache Cassandra Poll
If you’ve been around the Apache Cassandra project long enough, you develop a sense of where distributed databases are heading. The long-time contributors to this project have consistently anticipated the future of data infrastructure, often years ahead of market trends. That’s why the latest Apache Cassandra user survey results feel less like news and more like validation: We’ve been building exactly what users need, together as a community.
The Cassandra project management committee does regular surveys of the user community via the mailing list and official Cassandra social channels. Users are invited to answer questions about how they use Cassandra, the feature roadmap and how the community interacts.
This time, 140 users took the time to share their insights. To give you an idea of the demographics, 55% of the respondents had at least five years of experience, some even more. These are people with well-established views of Cassandra and data infrastructure.
The survey paints a clear picture of where we are and where we’re heading. Let’s break down what the Cassandra community is telling us and why it matters for everyone building on Cassandra.
Cloud Migration: The Path We Paved Together
The headline number — 85% of Cassandra users are either already in the cloud or moving there — might seem surprising if you haven’t been paying attention to the project’s evolution. But for those who’ve been contributing to Cassandra, this isn’t just expected, it’s precisely what we’ve been building for.
Years ago, the community recognized that cloud environments would demand different things from a distributed database. That foresight drove architectural decisions, making Apache Cassandra a natural fit for cloud deployments. From Day 1, we’ve always assumed a deployment in a highly distributed environment with random failures. Also known as cloud infrastructure. And the recent work on K8ssandra and core database enhancements didn’t happen accidentally — it came from contributors who understood where infrastructure was heading.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that this is where new contributors can make a real difference. As cloud deployments grow more complex and hybrid scenarios become more common, we always need fresh perspectives and new solutions. Whether you’re experienced with Kubernetes, networking or just have a passion for distributed systems, there’s room for you in the Cassandra community. The momentum in the project has picked up in the past few years, and you can help add to the energy.
Modernization Is Our Superpower
Perhaps the most exciting validation comes from the 62% of users planning to upgrade to Cassandra 5.0 in the next year. This enthusiasm isn’t just about having the latest version — it’s about the transformative features that came from real community needs. Real users are building Cassandra for real users. It’s an awesome virtuous circle.
Take storage attached indexes (SAI), vector search capabilities and the unified compaction strategy. These weren’t developed in a vacuum. They came from contributors like DataStax and others who struggled with real problems and stepped up to solve them. This also meant that new features can’t take us backward. Our true superpower is the community’s ability to innovate while rapidly maintaining Cassandra’s stability. We see this in each release over and over.
Want to help shape what’s next? The Cassandra Enhancement Proposal (CEP) process is your path forward. Whether you’re a user who knows exactly what features you need or a developer ready to contribute code, the community needs your voice and your expertise.
The AI Wave Meets Prepared Infrastructure
When the survey revealed that AI use cases are set to triple, it confirmed something we’ve been discussing in the community: Cassandra is becoming the database of choice for production AI workloads. As I discussed in a previous article about being an “AI adult in the room,” the key to successful AI implementations isn’t just about having the latest features, it’s about having a reliable, scalable foundation.
Cassandra’s architecture, with its ability to handle massive throughput and now enhanced with vector search capabilities, provides exactly that foundation. We’re seeing users move from experimental AI projects to production deployments, leveraging Cassandra’s strengths in ways that honestly make me proud of what this community has built.
The real validation isn’t just in the numbers but in how users deploy these capabilities. From recommendation engines processing millions of vectors to real-time AI applications requiring consistent sub-millisecond response times, Cassandra is proving itself the ideal platform for AI workloads at scale. The bet that users are telling us in the survey is that the future of AI has Cassandra in the mix. I couldn’t agree more!
Building The Future Together
What makes Cassandra special isn’t just the code. It’s how we work together to move the project forward. Major contributors like DataStax, Apple and Netflix have shown how commercial investment in an open source project can work right, contributing significant features back to the community through the CEP process. However, we also see contributions from users at companies of all sizes, each bringing their unique perspectives and needs to the project.
The survey results show us that we’re on the right track, but there’s so much more to build. Whether you’re using Cassandra in production, experimenting with new features or thinking about contributing, now is the time to get involved. Join the mailing lists, participate in GitHub discussions or start working on your first patch.
For those new to contribution, remember that every major feature in Cassandra started with someone saying, “I think I can make this better.” The CEP process, while thorough, is designed to help you succeed. And with the pace of innovation in cloud, AI and distributed systems, your perspective could be exactly what the project needs.
What’s Next?
The future of Apache Cassandra is being written by contributors like you. The survey shows us that users need more cloud native capabilities, better tooling for AI workloads and continued innovation in performance and scalability. These aren’t just challenges — they’re opportunities for the community to do what it does best: collaborate, innovate and build the future of distributed databases.
Whether you’re running Cassandra in production, contributing code or just starting to explore what’s possible, remember: You’re part of a community that has consistently anticipated and shaped the future of data infrastructure. The survey results just confirm what we already knew: We’re building exactly what users need, together.
Ready to be part of what’s next? The mailing lists, GitHub discussions and community meetings are waiting for your voice.
