How AtScale and Databricks Genie Democratize Data Intelligence with AI + a Semantic Layer

In our recent webinar, Democratizing Data Intelligence Across the Supply Chain with a Semantic Layer, I had the pleasure of speaking with Joshua Green, Data and AI Strategist at Databricks, about how our two platforms—AtScale’s Semantic Layer and Databricks Genie—are working together to make analytics more accessible and impactful for all users, not just data engineers.

Enterprises are still evolving and need to figure out how to maximize the impact of their data investments and broaden access beyond data specialists. 

>> Watch the full session: Democratizing Data Intelligence Across the Supply Chain

>> Try it yourself: Explore the Genie + AtScale Integration Demo

Breaking Down Data Silos with a Semantic Layer

Josh highlighted a key challenge many organizations face: despite significant investments in data platforms, the ability to derive meaningful insights often remains confined to data-literate users like data engineers and analysts. As he put it:

“What we see very often is that these types of tools will hallucinate answers because they don’t have enough context about the business. And this is very risky if you’re depending on these analytics to make important decisions.”

AtScale’s Semantic Layer solves this by:

• Centralizing business definitions across platforms
• Governing metrics to ensure consistent results in tools like Power BI, Excel, Tableau, and Databricks
• Delivering a single source of truth for both human and AI users

Built on Open Standards: AtScale’s SML + Databricks Unity Catalog

One of the most exciting parts of our discussion was showcasing how AtScale and Databricks Genie work together to bridge the gap between data teams and business users. Genie, Databricks’ AI-powered BI assistant, enables non-technical users to query data using natural language, making it easier than ever to derive insights. However, as Josh pointed out, the key to making AI-driven analytics successful is ensuring accuracy and context:

“What we really need to do is follow the same pattern we used for the data intelligence platform originally. And… spoiler alert, that’s AtScale. They’re a great partner to us because what they’re doing is actually they’re providing this capability. They’re able to capture all the meaning and the definitions that are currently trapped in these arcane languages and different tools and then still make it accessible to users where they are in Power BI or Qlik and Tableau.”

As we demonstrated in the webinar, AtScale’s Semantic Layer integrates seamlessly with Genie, providing the governance, accuracy, and consistency necessary for AI-driven queries to be both valuable and trustworthy. Without a semantic layer, Genie (or any AI model) risks misinterpreting queries or generating misleading insights. But when Genie operates on top of AtScale, it has access to pre-defined business logic and relationships, ensuring accurate results every time.

The Power of a Unified Data Intelligence Platform

A major theme of our conversation was the growing importance of open standards in modern data ecosystems. AtScale’s use of the Semantic Modeling Language (SML), an open-source initiative, aligns perfectly with Databricks’ vision of building on open technologies like Spark, Delta Lake, and Unity Catalog. With SML, organizations are no longer locked into proprietary BI tool definitions, and they can ensure that their semantic layer remains interoperable across different platforms.

The combination of AtScale + Databricks Genie offers a fundamentally new way to scale analytics:

• Self-service analytics for all users – Business teams can ask questions in natural language and receive trusted, AI-powered insights.
• No more BI tool silos – AtScale ensures that consistent definitions and governance apply across Power BI, Excel, Tableau, and Databricks.
• Real-time analytics with no data movement – AtScale runs queries natively on Databricks, eliminating stale data extracts and improving performance.

A New Era for Data Democratization

AtScale and Databricks share the vision of bringing data intelligence to everyone, not just SQL experts. Whether you’re using Genie for AI-driven analytics or connecting to Power BI for traditional BI reporting, the AtScale Semantic Layer ensures that you’re always working with the same trusted business definitions.

I truly enjoyed this conversation with Josh, as it reinforced how much alignment we have in our approach to making data more accessible. If you missed the live session, I recommend watching the webinar recording to see the Genie + AtScale integration in action.

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