The Current State of Agentic Retrieval - Qdrant Roundtable

The Current State of Agentic Retrieval - Qdrant Roundtable

Author: Demetrios July 1, 2026 Duration: 58:54

Qdrant Roundtable episode: The Current State of Agentic Retrieval


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Big shout-out to Qdrant for the collaboration!


// Abstract

AI agents are only as good as the information they can find, retrieve, and remember. In this community roundtable with the Qdrant team, we explored the latest advances in agentic memory, vector search, retrieval systems, and production AI architectures.


As AI agents move beyond simple chatbots into systems that can reason across large amounts of information, retrieval is becoming one of the most important layers in the AI stack. The discussion covered the real-world challenges of building agents that remember what matters, forget what doesn't, and consistently retrieve the right context at the right time.


If you're building AI agents, RAG systems, or production AI applications, this conversation offers practical insights into where retrieval is headed and what it takes to build reliable, scalable agentic systems.


// Bio

Ewa Szyszka

Ewa is a Developer Relations professional based in San Francisco with a background in Computer Science and Hardware Engineering, passionate about bridging the gap between technology and the developer community. She holds a BSc in Computer Science and an MSc in Electronics, bringing a strong blend of deep technical foundations and communication skills to her work.


Dylan Couzon

Dylan is based in New York City, and he helps developers build better AI applications. He is passionate about AI, programming, open source, and robotics, and enjoys sharing what he’s building and learning along the way.


Neil Kanungo

Neil is an experienced professional with expertise in data science, developer relations, and product growth. Currently serving as the Head of Developer Relations at Qdrant, Neil previously held the position of VP of Product Led Growth & Developer Relations at KX, where significant increases in product registration and user activation were achieved. At TIBCO, Neil managed a team focused on enhancing the adoption of TIBCO Spotfire through various initiatives, including tutorial videos and live webinars. With a strong technical background, Neil has developed innovative solutions in analytics, machine learning, and data visualization across multiple roles, including Engineering Data Analyst and Asset Integrity Engineer at Enterprise Products. Neil holds a Bachelor of Science in Radiation Physics from The University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Texas Tech University, and is pursuing a Master in Applied Data Science from the University of Michigan.


Evgeniya Sukhodolskaya

Developer Relations at Qdrant with 8 years of IT experience across software engineering, machine learning, and technical management, and 4 years in Developer Relations. Holds a Master’s in Machine Learning, Data Analytics, and Data Engineering. Passionate about NLP, data-centric AI, and the role of vector search in advancing AI technologies.


Andrei Cristea

Andrei is a Berlin-based Developer Relations Engineer at Qdrant, a prominent open-source vector database. With a Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence from TU Munich, his expertise bridges AI, data infrastructure, and knowledge engineering.


Hosted by Demetrios


// Related Links

Website: https://qdrant.tech/


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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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