The relationship between AI and data professionals is evolving rapidly, creating both opportunities and challenges. As companies embrace AI-first strategies and experiment with AI agents, the skills needed to thrive in data roles are fundamentally changing. Is coding knowledge still essential when AI can generate code for you? How important is domain expertise when automated tools can handle technical tasks? With data engineering and analytics engineering gaining prominence, the focus is shifting toward ensuring data quality and building reliable pipelines. But where does the human fit in this increasingly automated landscape, and how can you position yourself to thrive amid these transformations? Megan Bowers is Senior Content Manager, Digital Customer Success at Alteryx, where she develops resources for the Maveryx Community. She writes technical blogs and hosts the Alter Everything podcast, spotlighting best practices from data professionals across the industry. Before joining Alteryx, Megan worked as a data analyst at Stanley Black & Decker, where she led ETL and dashboarding projects and trained teams on Alteryx and Power BI. Her transition into data began after earning a degree in Industrial Engineering and completing a data science bootcamp. Today, she focuses on creating accessible, high-impact content that helps data practitioners grow. Her favorite topics include switching career paths after college, building a professional brand on LinkedIn, writing technical blogs people actually want to read, and best practices in Alteryx, data visualization, and data storytelling. Presented by Alteryx, Alter Everything serves as a podcast dedicated to the culture of data science and analytics, showcasing insights from industry specialists. Covering a range of subjects from the use of machine learning to various analytics career trajectories, and all that lies between, Alter Everything stands as a celebration of the critical role of data literacy in a data-driven world. In the episode, Richie and Megan explore the impact of AI on job functions, the rise of AI agents in business, and the importance of domain knowledge and process analytics in data roles. They also discuss strategies for staying updated in the fast-paced world of AI and data science, and much more. Links Mentioned in the Show: Alter EverythingConnect with MeganSkill Track: Alteryx FundamentalsRelated Episode: Scaling Enterprise Analytics with Libby Duane Adams, Chief Advocacy Officer and Co-Founder of AlteryxRewatch RADAR AI  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

Data science continues to evolve in the age of AI, but is it still the 'sexiest job of the 21st century'? While generative AI has transformed the landscape, it hasn't replaced data scientists—instead, it's created more demand for their skills. Data professionals now incorporate AI into their workflows to boost efficiency, analyze data faster, and communicate insights more effectively. But with these technological advances come questions: How should you adapt your skills to stay relevant? What's the right balance between traditional data science techniques and new AI capabilities? And as roles like analytics engineer and machine learning engineer emerge, how do you position yourself for success in this rapidly changing field? Dawn Choo is the Co-Founder of Interview Master, a platform designed to streamline technical interview preparation. With a foundation in data science, financial analysis, and product strategy, she brings a cross-disciplinary lens to building data-driven tools that improve hiring outcomes. Her career spans roles at leading tech firms, including ClassDojo, Patreon, and Instagram, where she delivered insights to support product development and user engagement. Earlier, Dawn held analytical and engineering positions at Amazon and Bank of America, focusing on business intelligence, financial modeling, and risk analysis. She began her career at Facebook as a marketing analyst and continues to be a visible figure in the data science community—offering practical guidance to job seekers navigating technical interviews and career transitions. In the episode, Richie and Dawn explore the evolving role of data scientists in the age of AI, the impact of generative AI on workflows, the importance of foundational skills, and the nuances of the hiring process in data science. They also discuss the integration of AI in products and the future of personalized AI models, and much more. Links Mentioned in the Show: Interview MasterConnect with DawnDawn’s Newsletter: Ask Data DawnGet Certified: AI Engineer for Data Scientists Associate CertificationRelated Episode: How To Get Hired As A Data Or AI Engineer with Deepak Goyal, CEO & Founder at Azurelib AcademyRewatch RADAR AI  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

Business intelligence has been transforming organizations for decades, yet many companies still struggle with widespread adoption. With less than 40% of employees in most organizations having access to BI tools, there's a significant 'information underclass' making decisions without data-driven insights. How can businesses bridge this gap and achieve true information democracy? While new technologies like generative AI and semantic layers offer promising solutions, the fundamentals of data quality and governance remain critical. What balance should organizations strike between investing in innovative tools and strengthening their data infrastructure? How can you ensure your business becomes a 'data athlete' capable of making hyper-decisive moves in an uncertain economic landscape? Howard Dresner is founder and Chief Research Officer at Dresner Advisory Services and a leading voice in Business Intelligence (BI), credited with coining the term “Business Intelligence” in 1989. He spent 13 years at Gartner as lead BI analyst, shaping its research agenda and earning recognition as Analyst of the Year, Distinguished Analyst, and Gartner Fellow. He also led Gartner’s BI conferences in Europe and North America. Before founding Dresner Advisory in 2007, Howard was Chief Strategy Officer at Hyperion Solutions, where he drove strategy and thought leadership, helping position Hyperion as a leader in performance management prior to its acquisition by Oracle.  Howard has written two books, The Performance Management Revolution – Business Results through Insight and Action, and Profiles in Performance – Business Intelligence Journeys and the Roadmap for Change - both published by John Wiley & Sons. In the episode, Richie and Howard explore the surprising low penetration of business intelligence in organizations, the importance of data governance and infrastructure, the evolving role of AI in BI, and the strategic initiatives driving BI usage, and much more. Links Mentioned in the Show: Dresner Advisory ServicesHoward’s Book - Profiles in Performance: Business Intelligence Journeys and the Roadmap for ChangeConnect with HowardSkill Track: Power BI FundamentalsRelated Episode: The Next Generation of Business Intelligence with Colin Zima, CEO at OmniRewatch RADAR AI  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

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

We’re improving DataFramed, and we need your help! We want to hear what you have to say about the show, and how we can make it more enjoyable for you—find out more here. The convergence of AI and business intelligence is creating new opportunities for innovation. As AI becomes more embedded in BI tools, the challenge lies in fostering a data-driven culture within organizations. How can professionals bridge the gap between intuition and data-driven decision-making? What strategies can be employed to cultivate a culture where data is at the forefront of business decisions? And how can AI tools be leveraged to make data insights more accessible to all employees? Omri Kohl is the CEO and co-founder of Pyramid Analytics, the Trusted Analytics Platform built for the enterprise. He leads Pyramid’s strategy and operations through a fast-growing data and analytics market. Kohl brings a deep understanding of analytics and AI technologies, valuable management experience, and a natural ability to challenge conventional thinking. Since Kohl founded Pyramid in 2009, it has achieved significant market success and customer growth. Kohl is a highly experienced entrepreneur with a proven track record developing and managing fast-growth companies. In the episode, Richie and Omri explore the evolution of BI with AI, the importance of data-driven culture, the role of generative BI in democratizing insights, the balance between intuition and data, and much more. Links Mentioned in the Show: Pyramid AnalyticsConnect with OmriPyramid Analytics GenBI DemoCourse: Introduction to Data CultureRelated Episode: Self-Service Business Intelligence with Sameer Al-Sakran, CEO at MetabaseRewatch sessions from RADAR: Forward Edition 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

We’re improving DataFramed, and we need your help! We want to hear what you have to say about the show, and how we can make it more enjoyable for you—find out more here. We’re often caught chasing the dream of “self-serve” data—a place where data empowers stakeholders to answer their questions without a data expert at every turn. But what does it take to reach that point? How do you shape tools that empower teams to explore and act on data without the usual bottlenecks? And with the growing presence of natural language tools and AI, is true self-service within reach, or is there still more to the journey? Sameer Al-Sakran is the CEO at Metabase, a low-code self-service analytics company. Sameer has a background in both data science and data engineering so he's got a practitioner's perspective as well as executive insight. Previously, he was CTO at Expa and Blackjet, and the founder of SimpleHadoop and Adopilot. In the episode, Richie and Sameer explore self-serve analytics, the evolution of data tools, GenAI vs AI agents, semantic layers, the challenges of implementing self-serve analytics, the problem with data-driven culture, encouraging efficiency in data teams, the parallels between UX and data projects, exciting trends in analytics, and much more. Links Mentioned in the Show: MetabaseConnect with SameerArticles from Metabase on jargon, information budgets, analytics mistakes, and data model mistakesCourse: Introduction to Data CultureRelated Episode: Towards Self-Service Data Engineering with Taylor Brown, Co-Founder and COO at FivetranRewatch Sessions from RADAR: Forward Edition 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

This special episode of DataFramed was made in collaboration with Analytics on Fire! Nowadays, the hype around generative AI is only the tip of the iceberg. There are so many ideas being touted as the next big thing that it’s difficult to keep up. More importantly, it’s challenging to discern which ideas will become the next ChatGPT and which will end up like the next NFT. How do we cut through the noise? Mico Yuk is the Community Manager at Acryl Data and Co-Founder at Data Storytelling Academy. Mico is also an SAP Mentor Alumni, and the Founder of the popular weblog, Everything Xcelsius and the 'Xcelsius Gurus’ Network. She was named one of the Top 50 Analytics Bloggers to follow, as-well-as a high-regarded BI influencer and sought after global keynote speaker in the Analytics ecosystem.  In the episode, Richie and Mico explore AI and productivity at work, the future of work and AI, GenAI and data roles, AI for training and learning, training at scale, decision intelligence, soft skills for data professionals, genAI hype and much more.  Links Mentioned in the Show: Analytics on Fire PodcastData Visualization for Dummies by Mico Yuk and Stephanie DiamondConnect with Miko[Skill Track] AI FundamentalsRelated Episode: What to Expect from AI in 2024 with Craig S. Smith, Host of the Eye on A.I PodcastRewatch sessions from RADAR: AI Edition 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 the fast-paced work environments we are used to, the ability to quickly find and understand data is essential. Data professionals can often spend more time searching for data than analyzing it, which can hinder business progress. Innovations like data catalogs and automated lineage systems are transforming data management, making it easier to ensure data quality, trust, and compliance. By creating a strong metadata foundation and integrating these tools into existing workflows, organizations can enhance decision-making and operational efficiency. But how did this all come to be, who is driving better access and collaboration through data? Prukalpa Sankar is the Co-founder of Atlan. Atlan is a modern data collaboration workspace (like GitHub for engineering or Figma for design). By acting as a virtual hub for data assets ranging from tables and dashboards to models & code, Atlan enables teams to create a single source of truth for all their data assets, and collaborate across the modern data stack through deep integrations with tools like Slack, BI tools, data science tools and more. A pioneer in the space, Atlan was recognized by Gartner as a Cool Vendor in DataOps, as one of the top 3 companies globally. Prukalpa previously co-founded SocialCops, world leading data for good company (New York Times Global Visionary, World Economic Forum Tech Pioneer). SocialCops is behind landmark data projects including India’s National Data Platform and SDGs global monitoring in collaboration with the United Nations. She was awarded Economic Times Emerging Entrepreneur for the Year, Forbes 30u30, Fortune 40u40, Top 10 CNBC Young Business Women 2016, and a TED Speaker. In the episode, Richie and Prukalpa explore challenges within data discoverability, the inception of Atlan, the importance of a data catalog, personalization in data catalogs, data lineage, building data lineage, implementing data governance, human collaboration in data governance, skills for effective data governance, product design for diverse audiences, regulatory compliance, the future of data management and much more.  Links Mentioned in the Show: AtlanConnect with Prukalpa[Course] Artificial Intelligence (AI) StrategyRelated Episode: Adding AI to the Data Warehouse with Sridhar Ramaswamy, CEO at SnowflakeSign up to RADAR: AI Edition New to DataCamp? Learn on the go using the DataCamp mobile app Empower your business with world-class data and AI skills with DataCamp for business

Generative AI has made a mark everywhere, including BI platforms, but how can you combine AI and BI together? What effects can this have across organizations? With constituent aspects such as data quality, your AI strategy, and the specific use-case you’re trying to solve, it’s important to get the full picture and tread with intent. What are the subtleties that we need to get right in order for this marriage to work to its full potential? Nick Magnuson is the Head of AI at Qlik, executing the organization’s AI strategy, solution development, and innovation. Prior to Qlik, Nick was the CEO of Big Squid, which was acquired by Qlik in 2021. Nick has previously held executive roles in customer success, product, and engineering in the field of machine learning and predictive analytics. As a practitioner in this field for over 20 years, Nick has published original research in these areas, as well as cognitive bias and other quantitative topics. He has also served as an advisor to other analytics platforms and start-ups. A long-time investment professional, Nick continues to hold his Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a past member of the Chicago Quantitative Alliance and Society of Quantitative Analysts.  In the episode, Richie and Nick explore what Qlik offers, including products like Sense and Staige, how Staige uses AI to enhance customer capabilities, use cases of generative AI, advice on data privacy and security when using AI, data quality and its effect on the success of AI tools, AI strategy and leadership, how data roles are changing and the emergence of new positions, and much more. 

Links Mentioned in the Show: QlikQlik StaigeQlik Sense[Skill Track] AI FundamentalsRelated Episode: Adapting to the AI Era with Jason Feifer, Editor in Chief of Entrepreneur MagazineSign up to RADAR: The Analytics Edition

New to DataCamp? Learn on the go using the DataCamp mobile app Empower your business with world-class data and AI skills with DataCamp for business

Despite the critical role of analytics in guiding business decisions, organizations continue to face significant challenges in harnessing its full potential. As data sets expand and deadlines shrink, the urgency to scale analytics processes becomes paramount. What data leaders now need to focus on are essential strategies for analytics at scale, including fostering a culture of continuous learning, prioritizing data governance, and leveraging generative AI. Libby Duane Adams is the Chief Advocacy Officer and co-founder of Alteryx. She is responsible for strengthening upskilling and reskilling efforts for Alteryx customers to enable a culture of analytics, scaling the presence of the Alteryx SparkED education program and furthering diversity and inclusion in the workplace. As the former Chief Customer Officer, Libby has helped many Fortune 100 executives to identify and seize market opportunities, outsmart their competitors, and drive more revenue from their current businesses using analytics.  In the episode, Richie and Libby explore the differences between analytics and business intelligence, analytics as a team sport, the importance of speed in analytics, generative AI and its implications in analytics, the role of data quality and governance, Alteryx’s AI platform, data skills as a workplace necessity, using AI to automate documentation and insights, success stories and mistakes within analytics, and much more.  Links Mentioned in the Show: AlteryxAlteryx SparkED Program[Course] Introduction to AlteryxRelated Episode: From Data Literacy to AI Literacy with Cindi Howson, Chief Data Strategy Officer at ThoughtSpotSign up to RADAR: The Analytics Edition 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

Spreadsheets have been the unsung heroes of the data world for many decades now. Yet, despite their ubiquity and importance, they've seen little disruption or evolution. The grid of cells we interact with today isn't far removed from the ones our predecessors used in the 1980s. However, the winds of change have started to blow. As we stand on the cusp of a new era in data and AI, the humble spreadsheet is poised for transformation. The coming changes could redefine how we interact with data, derive insights, and how we make decisions. The implications are vast given the popularity and dependence we have on spreadsheets, and the potential impacts could ripple through every corner of the professional world.  Hjalmar Gislason is the founder and CEO of GRID, with their main product being a smart spreadsheet with an interactive data visualization layer and integrated AI assistance. Hjalmar previously served as VP of Product Management at Qlik. He was the founder and CEO of DataMarket, founded in 2008 and sold to Qlik in 2014. A career data nerd and entrepreneur, GRID is Hjalmar’s fifth software startup as a founder.  In the episode, Richie and Hjalmar explore the integral role of spreadsheets in today's data-driven world, the limitations of traditional Business Intelligence tools, and the transformative potential of generative AI in the realm of spreadsheets.