In this session, Omni CEO Colin Zima and VP of Product Arielle Strong will share how early experiments led to AI features our customers actually use and love: from natural language chat, to embeddable AI products, to APIs and an MCP server. 

They’ll walk through what worked, what didn’t, and how AI has reshaped our product roadmap. Expect real-world examples of AI analytics in production, along with best practices for getting your data AI-ready.

Product managers for BI platforms have it easy. They "just" need to have the dev team build a tool that gives all types of users access to all of the data they should be allowed to see in a way that is quick, simple, and clear while preventing them from pulling data that can be misinterpreted. Of course, there are a lot of different types of users—from the C-level executive who wants ready access to high-level metrics all the way to the analyst or data scientist who wants to drop into a SQL flow state to everyone in between. And sometimes the tool needs to provide structured dashboards, while at other times it needs to be a mechanism for ad hoc analysis. Maybe the product manager's job is actually…impossible? Past Looker CAO and current Omni CEO Colin Zima joined this episode for a lively discussion on the subject! For complete show notes, including links to items mentioned in this episode and a transcript of the show, visit the show page.

The modern data stack has transformed how organizations work with data, but are our BI tools keeping pace with these changes? As data schemas become increasingly fluid and analysis needs range from quick explorations to production-grade reporting, traditional approaches are being challenged. How can we create analytics experiences that accommodate both casual spreadsheet users and technical data modelers? With semantic layers becoming crucial for AI integration and data governance growing in importance, what skills do today's BI professionals need to master? Finding the balance between flexibility and governance is perhaps the greatest challenge facing data teams today. Colin Zima is the Co-Founder and CEO of Omni, a business intelligence platform focused on making data more accessible and useful for teams of all sizes. Prior to Omni, he was Chief Analytics Officer and VP of Product at Looker, where he helped shape the product and data strategy leading up to its acquisition by Google for $2.6 billion. Colin’s background spans roles in data science, analytics, and product leadership, including positions at Google, HotelTonight, and as founder of the restaurant analytics startup PrimaTable. He holds a degree in Operations Research and Financial Engineering from Princeton University and began his career as a Structured Credit Analyst at UBS. In the episode, Richie and Colin explore the evolution of BI tools, the challenges of integrating casual and rigorous data analysis, the role of semantic layers, and the impact of AI on business intelligence. They discuss the importance of understanding business needs, creating user-focused dashboards, and the future of data products, and much more. Links Mentioned in the Show: OmniConnect with ColinSkill Track: Design in Power BIRelated Episode: Self-Service Business Intelligence with Sameer Al-Sakran, CEO at MetabaseRegister for RADAR AI - June 26 New to DataCamp? Learn on the go using the DataCamp mobile appEmpower your business with world-class data and AI skills with DataCamp for business

In this episode of Hub & Spoken, Jason Foster speaks with Colin Zima, CEO and Co-founder of Omni, a modern business intelligence platform that combines the best of governance and usability. With a background spanning roles at Looker and Google, and two decades as both a data user and builder, Colin brings a unique perspective on the evolution of BI and the real role of AI in shaping its future. They explore why business intelligence remains critical for aligning organisations, how AI is raising the bar for access and self-service, and why semantics and business logic are more important than ever. The conversation challenges the notion that AI will replace dashboards, and instead focuses on how it can enhance accessibility, support different user needs, and empower data teams to work more efficiently. This episode is essential listening for business and data leaders thinking about the future of BI, the practical use of AI, and the role data teams play in delivering real value at speed. Tune in to hear how modern BI is evolving, and what leaders need to know to stay ahead. ****    Cynozure is a leading data, analytics and AI company that helps organisations to reach their data potential. It works with clients on data and AI strategy, data management, data architecture and engineering, analytics and AI, data culture and literacy, and data leadership. The company was named one of The Sunday Times' fastest-growing private companies in both 2022 and 2023 and recognised as The Best Place to Work in Data by DataIQ in 2023 and 2024. Cynozure is a certified B Corporation.