This document provides an overview and introduction to Oracle's Autonomous Database 18c. It begins with a brief history of database automation at Oracle, from early features like automatic undo management and storage management, to more advanced current capabilities like automatic SQL tuning and statistics gathering. It then discusses key aspects of the 18c Autonomous Database, including how it is fully managed as a service, incorporates artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities, and aims to make databases easy to use with capabilities like one-click provisioning and elastic scaling. The document walks through the basic steps to create an Autonomous Database and load data, emphasizing security and ease of use. It also outlines available database services and how to configure client connectivity and create users.