“The weaknesses [of AI] that I am concerned about are that so many people are selling a tool of some kind, and a lot of them are poorly thought out, poor quality, and some of them are downright dangerous.” — @DSJayatillake [0:20:34]
Data teams have the power to drive business growth, but only when they have the right tools, strategies, and data to turn insights into action. In this debut episode of More than Numbers Live, we discuss how AI and semantic layers can transform data teams with David Jayatillake, VP of AI at Cube.
Tuning in, you'll learn about the four tenets of driving business value through data teams:
- Operational clarity
- Problem-solving
- Decision efficiency
- Impact measurement
We also dive into practical applications of AI in data workflows and explore the steps for accelerating access to data insights, automating root cause analysis, and enhancing collaboration between engineers and business teams.
David is a seasoned data leader with extensive expertise in credit, payments, and revenue management. As a two-time founder, investor, and AI enthusiast, David is passionate about finding innovative ways to leverage data for growth and competitive advantage.
Tune in now for insights into the risks of poorly implemented AI tools, actionable strategies for effectively integrating AI into data workflows, why storytelling is a vital skill, and more!
Brilliant data bits
“[Adoption of AI] is always a GTM [Go-To-Market] problem. It is not usually a product problem.” — @DSJayatillake [0:19:12]
“I believe [that] AI can be very helpful in many different settings and not just for analytical data.” — @DSJayatillake [0:11:50]
What you’ll learn
- [01:01] Hear about David's early experiences with Business Intelligence (BI) tools.
- [02:39] Learn about Cube’s internal data stack and how its semantic layer is structured.
- [05:30] Discover the benefits of a semantic layer and how it improves data governance.
- [06:39] Find out about Cube's shift to using SQLMesh and its impact on data modeling.
- [10:20] Unlock a proven framework to help data teams drive value.
- [11:45] Explore how AI is enhancing workflows and improving operational clarity.
- [14:23] What impact AI has on problem-solving, speed, and root-cause analysis.
- [17:28] Insights into the gaps and limitations of AI and what to expect in the future.
- [19:37] Examine how AI will benefit data development and engineering tasks.
- [20:35] Unpack the risks and dangers of poorly designed and implemented AI tools.
- [23:38] Get tips for managing expectations when leaders push for AI dashboards.
- [25:41] Why David thinks sales and storytelling skills are essential for a successful career.
“[Storytelling] is a superpower. If you get really good at that, you can go really far in your career. Probably further than if you are technically brilliant.” — @DSJayatillake [0:26:16]
Downloads & links
👋 Connect with David: LinkedIn | X | Substack | Bluesky
🔗 Check out David’s company: Cube
🚀 Connect with Ollie Hughes
🎙️ Subscribe to More than Numbers Live:
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