Operationalizing AI Agents: From Experimentation to Production // Databricks Roundtable

Operationalizing AI Agents: From Experimentation to Production // Databricks Roundtable

Author: Demetrios March 30, 2026 Duration: 1:01:13

Databricks Roundtable episode: Operationalizing AI Agents: From Experimentation to Production.


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Big shout-out to Databricks for the collaboration!


// Abstract

This panel discusses the real-world challenges of deploying AI agents at scale. The conversation explores technical and operational barriers that slow production adoption, including reliability, cost, governance, and security.


The panelists also examine how LLMOps, AIOps, and AgentOps differ from traditional MLOps, and why new approaches are required for generative and agent-based systems. Finally, experts define success criteria for GenAI frameworks, with a focus on robust evaluation, observability, and continuous monitoring across development and staging environments.


// Bio

Samraj Moorjani

Samraj is a software engineer working on the Agent Quality team. Previously, Samraj worked at Meta on ads/product classification research and AppLovin on MLOps. Samraj graduated with a BS+MS in Computer Science from UIUC, advised by Professor Hari Sundaram, where he worked on controllable natural language generation to produce appealing, interpretable science to combat the spread of misinformation. He also worked with Professor Wen-mei Hwu on accelerating LLM inference through extreme sparsification.


Apurva Misra

Apurva is an AI Consultant at Sentick, focusing on assisting startups with their AI strategy and building solutions. She leverages her extensive experience in machine learning and a Master's degree from the University of Waterloo, where her research bridged driving and machine learning, to offer valuable insights. Apurva's keen interest in the startup world fuels her passion for helping emerging companies incorporate AI effectively. In her free time, she is learning Spanish, and she also enjoys exploring hidden gem eateries, always eager to hear about new favourite spots!


Ben Epstein

Ben was the machine learning lead for Splice Machine, leading the development of their MLOps platform and Feature Store. He is now the Co-founder and CTO at GrottoAI, focused on supercharging multifamily teams and reducing vacancy loss with AI-powered guidance for leasing and renewals. Ben also works as an adjunct professor at Washington University in St. Louis, teaching concepts in cloud computing and big data analytics.


Hosted by Adam Becker


// Related Links

Website: https://www.databricks.com/https://mlflow.org/


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Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction

[02:30] AI Agents in Operations

[04:36] AI Strategy Consulting

[05:30] Agent Quality Focus

[06:17] AI Agent Expectations

[11:44] AI Use Cases Evolution

[15:25] Agent Expectations Adjustment

[17:41] Agent Quality Monitoring

[23:22] Trust in GenAI Systems

[33:33] Data Prep vs Product Thinking

[40:27] Quality Systems Distinction

[44:54] Q & A

[1:00:57] Wrap up


Hosted by Demetrios, MLOps.community is a space for honest, meandering talks about the real work of making artificial intelligence systems actually work. This isn't about hype or theoretical papers; it's about the messy, practical, and often surprising journey of taking models from a notebook into a live environment. You'll hear from engineers and practitioners who are in the trenches, discussing the tools, the frustrations, and the occasional breakthroughs that define the day-to-day. The conversations are deliberately relaxed, covering everything from traditional machine learning pipelines to the new world of large language models and even the intangible "vibes" of team culture and process. Each episode peels back a layer on what "production" really means, whether that involves deploying a predictive service, managing an agentic system, or maintaining reliability as everything scales. Tuning into this podcast feels like grabbing a coffee with colleagues who aren't afraid to dig into the technical nitty-gritty while keeping the tone conversational and accessible. It's for anyone who builds, manages, or is just curious about the operational backbone that allows AI to deliver value, offering a grounded perspective often missing from the broader conversation.
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