Oracle shipped Database 26ai Enterprise Edition for Linux x86-64 last week, marking the first proper on-premises release since dropping the "c" suffix for 23ai in 2024. That earlier version never escaped Oracle's engineered systems and Cloud@Customer setups.
The release was supposed to arrive in H1 2024. Then 2025. Now January 2026. Oracle-base.com asked the obvious question: "Will it happen this time?" History suggests skepticism is earned.
What's actually new
Database 26ai bundles AI vector search, agentic AI tooling for private data, JSON Relational Duality, and Apache Iceberg table format support. Oracle positions this as "AI for Data" - keeping AI processing in the database instead of moving data around. The architecture makes sense. Whether enterprises need it yet is another question.
The catch: Windows and other platforms remain unannounced. For a "long-term" release, the rollout feels selective.
The 19c problem
Here's why adoption won't be fast: Oracle extended 19c Premier Support to December 2029, with Extended running through 2032. That's 13 years total, double the standard eight-year window. Martin Biggs from Spinnaker Support notes most users are satisfied with 19c precisely because of this runway.
Vendor applications fully support 19c. Migration pressure is minimal for six more years. The math doesn't favor early adoption.
What this means in practice
Oracle needs enterprises to upgrade for its "AI for Data" strategy to gain traction. But extending 19c support created a comfortable status quo. Add the new support portal issues that left users fuming in December, and the upgrade path looks bumpy.
The technology is credible - Common Criteria and FIPS 140-3 certifications are in testing. Free tier (2 CPUs, 2GB RAM) is available for evaluation. Direct upgrades from 19c and 21c work via AutoUpgrade.
But when your long-term release takes two years to reach general availability while the previous version gets a decade of extended support, the message to customers is mixed. Oracle's still number one in DB-Engines rankings, but PostgreSQL leads with developers on Stack Overflow. That gap matters.
Worth watching: How quickly Oracle ships 26ai for Windows, and whether Premier Support dates shift again. Three delays erode confidence. A fourth would be a pattern.