Databricks
Databricks Data Intelligence Platform: what it is, what it includes and what to govern
A plain guide for data and technology leads, with every fact about the platform taken from Databricks' own pages as read on 8 November 2026.
In a post dated 15 November 2023, Databricks described the data intelligence platform it said it was building on top of its lakehouse. Databricks' current documentation, last updated 29 October 2026, calls it the Databricks Data + AI Platform, a unified, open analytics platform. This page explains what it includes and what a team should govern.
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What is the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform?
In a post dated 15 November 2023, Databricks said Data + AI Platforms build on the foundation of the lakehouse and use AI models to understand the meaning of enterprise data, which it called data intelligence. Databricks' product page, read on 8 November 2026, names the product the Databricks Data + AI Platform and describes it as a unified platform for data, analytics and AI. Its documentation, labelled last updated 29 October 2026, describes a unified, open analytics platform and does not use the words Data Intelligence Platform. The two names appear to refer to the same platform, but we found no Databricks statement that retires the older one, so both are used on this page.
Sources: Databricks, Data + AI Platforms (https://www.databricks.com/blog/what-is-a-data-intelligence-platform), Databricks product page (https://www.databricks.com/product/data-intelligence-platform) and Databricks documentation (https://docs.databricks.com/aws/en/introduction/), all read 8 November 2026.
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What does Databricks data intelligence mean?
Databricks uses data intelligence for the idea of a platform that applies AI models to learn what enterprise data means, rather than only storing and querying it. In its 2023 post it lists what it says these platforms enable: natural language access to data, semantic cataloguing, automated optimization, enhanced governance and privacy and first-class support for AI workloads. It names DatabricksIQ as the engine behind this, and says DatabricksIQ adds descriptions and tags to data assets inside Unity Catalog, which it says improves governance. That is Databricks' own description from November 2023, a viewpoint article, not a product specification, so check current documentation before you plan around any single feature.
Sources: Databricks, Data + AI Platforms (https://www.databricks.com/blog/what-is-a-data-intelligence-platform), published 15 November 2023, read 8 November 2026.
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What is in the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform?
Databricks documentation, labelled last updated 29 October 2026, names these parts of the platform: Lakeflow pipelines for data pipelines, Auto Loader for loading files from cloud storage, Apache Spark and Structured Streaming for processing, MLflow for tracking machine learning work, AI Functions for using language models from SQL, SQL warehouses for queries, AI/BI dashboards, Genie agents for questions in natural language, Unity Catalog for governance, Jobs for scheduling, and Lakebase, a managed Postgres database. The product page also names Delta Lake, Agent Bricks and Databricks Apps. Neither page read on 8 November 2026 mentions DatabricksIQ or Mosaic AI, names used elsewhere. Databricks changes its product names often, so confirm any component against its documentation.
Sources: Databricks documentation (https://docs.databricks.com/aws/en/introduction/), page label Last updated on Oct 29, 2026, and Databricks product page (https://www.databricks.com/product/data-intelligence-platform), both read 8 November 2026.
kriv role
What should a team govern on the platform?
A platform can record what data a model used and who accessed it. It does not decide who owns a data product, who may approve a model for use, or who reviews an output before it reaches a client. Databricks says Unity Catalog governs data, apps and AI agents through one catalog, so that is where access rules and lineage live. The decisions about owners, approvals and review steps sit with your people.
Kriv AI helps regulated teams make those decisions before the first table is built: named owners, access rules, an approval step for models and a record of who signed off. Our Databricks consulting page describes how an engagement runs. Every engagement is scoped and priced after a short discovery call.
Sources: Databricks product page (https://www.databricks.com/product/data-intelligence-platform), read 8 November 2026.
Sources
Cited sources
- Databricks, Data + AI Platforms: our viewpoint on how AI will fundamentally change data platforms (published 15 November 2023), read 2026-11-08
- Databricks, Data + AI Platform product page (shows 2026 copyright, no publication date), read 2026-11-08
- Databricks documentation, What is Databricks? (page label Last updated on Oct 29, 2026), read 2026-11-08
Straight answers
Frequently asked questions about Databricks Data Intelligence Platform: what it is, what it includes and what to govern
What is the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform?
Databricks used the term in a post dated 15 November 2023 for the platform it said it was building on its lakehouse. Databricks' current documentation, last updated 29 October 2026, calls it the Databricks Data + AI Platform, a unified, open analytics platform.
Is the Data Intelligence Platform the same as the Databricks Data + AI Platform?
They appear to be the same platform under two names. Databricks' 2023 post uses both terms, and its 2026 documentation uses the newer one. We found no Databricks statement retiring the older name (read 8 November 2026).
What does data intelligence mean at Databricks?
In Databricks' 2023 post it means a platform that uses AI models to understand the semantics of enterprise data, supporting natural language access, semantic cataloguing, automated optimization, enhanced governance and privacy and AI workloads.
What is Unity Catalog?
Databricks' product page describes Unity Catalog as governing data, apps and AI agents through one catalog (read 8 November 2026).
How much does a Databricks governance engagement cost?
Every engagement is scoped and priced after a short discovery call.
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