This week on The Data Stack Show, Brooks and John chat with Andy MacMillan, CEO of Alteryx. Andy discusses the evolving landscape of data and AI, focusing on empowering business users to solve complex problems. He explores the concept of “citizen developers” and how tools like Alteryx can bridge the gap between IT and business teams by democratizing data access. The conversation also emphasizes the importance of creating controlled environments where business users can leverage cloud data platforms and AI technologies to reimagine workflows, without bypassing governance. Key takeaways include the need for organizations to enable innovation through accessible data tools, the potential of AI-driven agents to transform business processes, the critical role of employees who understand their business functions in driving technological transformation, and so much more.

This week on The Data Stack Show, John and Matt bring you another edition of the Cynical Data Guy. John and Matt dive into the quirky world of data analytics, exploring common challenges like unrealistic data requests, the limitations of self-service BI, and the evolving role of data analysts. They also discuss the importance of understanding business context, the need for effective data storytelling, and the emerging trend of “BI as code” which promises more flexible and version-controlled analytics tools. The conversation highlights the gap between technical data capabilities and business user needs, emphasizing that the real value of data professionals lies not just in tool proficiency, but in their ability to provide meaningful insights and guide decision-making. Key takeaways include the importance of context in data analysis, the limitations of self-service tools, the ongoing evolution of data roles in modern organizations, and more.

This week on The Data Stack Show, John chats with Paul Blankley, Founder and CTO of Zenlytic, live from Denver! Paul and John discuss the rapid evolution of AI in business intelligence, highlighting how AI is transforming data analysis and decision-making. Paul also explores the potential of AI as an “employee” that can handle complex analytical tasks, from unstructured data processing to proactive monitoring. Key insights include the increasing capabilities of AI in symbolic tasks like coding, the importance of providing business context to AI models, and the future of BI tools that can flexibly interact with both structured and unstructured data. Paul emphasizes that the next generation of AI tools will move beyond traditional dashboards, offering more intelligent, context-aware insights that can help businesses make more informed decisions. It’s an exciting conversation you won’t want to miss.