Robin Sutara, Field Chief Data Strategy Officer at Databricks, speaks with Robert Lutton, VP, Sales and Marketing, Sandhill Consultants, in a video interview about the shift in data democratization with AI, a customer case study, the power of natural language in data intelligence, and what sets Databricks apart.

Sutara begins by stating that, historically, the focus of data democratization has been squarely on data personas like data scientists and analysts. “It’s about making sure that our data scientists and analysts can get insight into the same data,” she says.

Recounting the familiar challenge of getting the business to agree across different domains, Sutara mentions that, traditionally, data democratization has revolved around building a single source of truth.

The shift triggered by AI

With the advent of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Sutara sees a paradigm shift. “AI has unlocked a whole set of personas that we have to democratize and unlock access to data for.”

This shift presents both a challenge and an opportunity involving enabling non-technical users to harness the power of data using natural language.

“Not every democratized user across an organization is going to have the same skills or same education. And so how do we use natural language now because it’s become so accessible and easy?”

To bridge this skills gap, Databricks has developed the AI/BI Genie, a platform that allows business users to access and interact with the same data used by technical teams, having a single source of data truth. Natural language, she says, is becoming the default interface for non-technical users across organizations.

To illustrate how this new model of data access is transforming industries, Sutara highlights a compelling case from SEGA, a Databricks customer.

“They are actually using AI/BI Genie rooms to allow their various departments to get access to their gaming data in plain language so that their product managers can create the next level of the game or can respond to how the gamers are interacting with the games and the ecosystems in the communities, etc.”

With this approach, SEGA is now delivering over a million personalized gaming experiences by enabling real-time decision-making at the product level.

AI that learns as you use it: The power of natural language in data intelligence

Moving forward, Sutara highlights how the integration of AI and natural language interfaces within Databricks’ Data Intelligence Platform is creating a flywheel of continuous improvement. “All of those interactions are making the platform smarter as well,” she says.

Sutara explains that it is not just about translating natural language into SQL; it is about leveraging those queries to improve the platform itself.

“We can now take natural language queries that are happening against the platform to actually start to build out things like business semantic models, things that have required a lot of manual work on the part of data teams to be able to create,” she adds.

This capability, she notes, marks a shift in the use of AI, from simply layering it onto data workflows to embedding it directly into the infrastructure to make smarter decisions and optimize operations in real time.

“That’s the power of data intelligence, and it’s not just you creating AI on top of it, but it’s AI being used in the platform to make it so much smarter and so much more efficient.”

The benefits go beyond just better insights, they extend to real infrastructure gains. Sutara mentions the platform’s ability to optimize query performance and resource usage based on who is querying and how. She envisions a future where the platform adapts dynamically to user needs, scaling resources intelligently and prioritizing queries based on roles within the organization.

Ultimately, Sutara believes this evolution will lead organizations to use data far more intelligently and accurately, minimizing inefficiencies and aligning everyone on shared definitions of key metrics.

What sets Databricks apart

Describing Databricks, Sutara shares that the company has been one of the most dynamic and forward-thinking organizations she has ever worked for. In her view, what distinguishes Databricks isn’t just its technology but the organizational mindset to continually reimagine its future.

A major driver of this culture is support from leadership, especially the CEO and founding team, who remain deeply engaged in the company’s evolution, says Sutara. She points out one key metric that reflects Databricks’ commitment to long-term innovation:

“One of the statistics I love the most is that for every dollar of revenue that we create, 33% of that goes back into R&D, which is a phenomenal ratio if you think about it.”

This reinvestment has enabled Databricks to launch transformative initiatives like the Data Intelligence Platform, which was born out of bold questions and a willingness to rethink the company’s core architecture, says Sutara.

What inspires Sutara most is the company’s clarity of purpose and the caliber of talent committed to its mission. “I love the motto at Databricks. Our mission as an organization is to solve the world’s toughest data problems.”

She further appreciates the brilliant talent working at Databricks, who are dedicated to helping customers solve complex data problems.

Concluding, Sutara shares that the real-world challenges from customers continue to shape the platform’s evolution. The feedback loop between Databricks and its users is what fuels its continuous transformation.

CDO Magazine appreciates Robin Sutara for sharing her insights with our global community.