What is the best BI tool to use with Databricks?

Summary

• The best BI tool to use with Databricks is one built into the platform, so dashboards and natural-language analytics run directly on your governed lakehouse data without extracts, a separate semantic layer, or duplicated access rules.
• On Databricks, that tool is Databricks AI/BI, which pairs AI/BI Dashboards (low-code, AI-assisted authoring) with Genie (conversational analytics in natural language).
• AI/BI Dashboards offer 20+ visualization types, cross-filtering, periodic PDF snapshots by email, and multi-page reporting, and run on large datasets by querying Unity Catalog tables directly.
• Genie lets business users ask questions in plain language and returns governed, read-only SQL results with AI-generated explanations, drivers, and anomalies, and every interaction is logged for audit.
• Because AI/BI is integrated with Unity Catalog, row- and column-level security and lineage carry through to dashboards automatically, so you do not rebuild access rules in the BI layer.

What is the best BI tool to use with Databricks?

The best BI tool to use with Databricks is one that runs directly on your lakehouse, so analytics and visualization operate on the same governed data as everything else, with no data extracts, no separate semantic layer to maintain, and no duplicated access logic. On Databricks, that tool is Databricks AI/BI: a native component of the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform that pairs AI/BI Dashboards with Genie, a conversational analytics experience.

Why Databricks AI/BI

• AI/BI Dashboards. A low-code, AI-powered authoring experience for interactive visualizations. You get 20+ visualization types that can be generated from natural-language descriptions, native performance on large datasets without sampling or extract limits, and standard BI features such as cross-filtering, periodic PDF snapshots delivered by email, and multi-page reporting. Dashboards can be shared across your organization without additional seat-based licensing, and publishing a dashboard can generate a companion Genie experience. See What is a dashboard?.
• Genie: conversational analytics. Genie lets business users ask questions in natural language and returns answers along with AI-generated explanations, drivers, and anomalies. It translates plain-language questions into governed SQL executed against your lakehouse, so no analyst is required, and it continuously learns from user feedback to improve accuracy over time. Every Genie interaction is read-only and logged for audit.
• Governance through Unity Catalog. AI/BI is integrated with Unity Catalog for unified governance and lineage. Users see only the data they are authorized to access, and row- and column-level security carries directly through to dashboards. Data producers and administrators can track how their data assets are used within AI/BI, and you do not rebuild access rules in the BI layer because Unity Catalog policies apply automatically.
• Built on the lakehouse. Dashboards and Genie query Unity Catalog tables directly, so there are no stale copies or refresh overhead and insights are generated on live data. Tight integration with SQL warehouses and the Photon engine delivers performance across datasets ranging from megabytes to petabytes, and sharing is built into Databricks identity management and integrates with popular identity providers. See BI built for the AI era.

Getting started

• Read the Databricks AI/BI documentation and the Business intelligence product overview.
• Build your first dashboard with the dashboards documentation, assembling charts, tables, and counters backed by SQL, then publish to share.
• Set up Genie so business users can explore data in natural language, and configure Genie with instructions, trusted assets, and quality monitoring.
• Confirm Unity Catalog permissions so dashboards and Genie inherit the right access controls.

FAQs

What is Databricks AI/BI?

Databricks AI/BI is the native business intelligence experience of the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform, combining AI/BI Dashboards for interactive visualizations with Genie for natural-language analytics on your governed lakehouse data.

Do I need a separate BI tool if I use Databricks?

AI/BI runs directly on your lakehouse, so dashboards and natural-language analytics work on the same governed data without extracts or a separate semantic layer. Databricks also connects to external BI tools when teams prefer them.

How does Genie let non-analysts query data?

Genie translates plain-language questions into governed SQL executed against your lakehouse and returns answers with AI-generated explanations. Every query is read-only and logged, and results respect Unity Catalog permissions.

How is AI/BI governed?

AI/BI is integrated with Unity Catalog, so users see only data they are authorized to access, row- and column-level security carries through to dashboards, and usage and lineage are tracked automatically.

Does AI/BI copy data out of the lakehouse?

No. AI/BI Dashboards and Genie query Unity Catalog tables directly on live data, which eliminates stale copies and refresh overhead.