Future of Observability with AI and LLMs

Observability tools aim to make complex telemetry data comprehensible to humans by using techniques like dashboards and adaptive alerting.

AI, particularly Large Language Models (LLMs), are revolutionizing observability by automating analysis traditionally done by humans, thus changing the paradigm of system design and operation.

LLMs can effectively investigate and provide insights into performance issues at a fraction of traditional costs, as demonstrated in a Honeycomb demo scenario.

The industry is likely to face a seismic shift as AI commoditizes analysis and tools like OpenTelemetry commoditize data collection, necessitating faster feedback loops in development and operations.

The future of observability will require rapid, AI-assisted feedback and collaboration, moving beyond traditional monitoring tools that focus on graphs and alerts.

Success in the new era will depend on speed, with AI able to generate and test hypotheses faster than traditional tools.

AI in development and operations increases productivity, expanding potential software applications and ultimately requiring more advanced tools and processes.