This week on The Data Stack Show, Eric and John chat with Barry McCardel from Hex. They delve into the technical, business, and human challenges of data work, emphasizing AI and data collaboration. The discussion also covers Hex’s product updates, the complexities of building AI features, and AI’s impact on data teams. The group explores the unpredictability of AI, the need for extensive evaluation, and the iterative process of refining AI models. The conversation wraps up by touching on industry consolidation, vendor competition, the dynamics of cloud platforms and open source technology, and more. 

This week on The Data Stack Show, Eric and John chat with David Wynn of Edge Delta. During the conversation, Dave shared his background, including his econometrics work at UPS during the 2008 recession and his tenure at Google Cloud, where he focused on BigQuery and customer-facing architecture in the gaming industry. The discussion covers the landscape of data warehouse products like Snowflake and Databricks, the complexities of cloud platforms, and the challenges of observability. They also delve into the cautious integration of AI in observability, emphasizing the need for better mental models and practical approaches, and so much more. 

This week on The Data Stack Show, Eric and John chat with Jeff Skoldberg, Principal Consultant, Data Architecture and Analytics at Green Mountain Data Solutions. Jeff has been a data consultant specializing in supply chain analytics and cost optimization and shares his journey from starting as a business analyst at Keurig in 2008 to becoming an independent consultant. They discuss the evolution of the data landscape, including shifts from Microsoft SQL Server to SAP HANA and later to Snowflake. Jeff emphasizes the importance of cost optimization, detailing strategies for managing data costs effectively. The group also discusses two frameworks for using data to control business processes and create actionable dashboards, and more.