Denodo updates platform with new data marketplace & GenAI tools

Denodo has introduced Denodo Platform 9.2, an updated version of its logical data management platform, incorporating a new data marketplace and expanded generative AI capabilities.

The Denodo Platform 9.2 release is designed to provide business users with a data marketplace that emulates familiar e-commerce experiences, making it easier for users across various roles to discover, access, and use organisational data. The marketplace operates on Denodo's semantic layer, presenting business context for data, and employs AI-powered automation to assist with repetitive functions.

The new marketplace also offers users a comprehensive overview of how data is being accessed within their organisations, indicating which dashboards and analytic tools are using specific data products. Organisations with teams in multiple countries can benefit from the user interface's support of multiple languages, allowing individuals to select their preferred UI language.

Stewart Bond, Research Vice President at IDC, highlighted the platform's improved accessibility, stating, "The Denodo Data Catalog has always made data easier to access and use, even across organizations data lakehouse and supporting data sources, but I believe the new data marketplace functionality of Denodo Platform 9.2 makes access even more intuitive with a more user-friendly interface. Now, people with less or no technical knowledge of data catalogs can leverage the marketplace for data access with little or no guidance."

Denodo Platform 9.2 includes enhancements for generative AI (GenAI) applications, building upon previous AI-focused updates. These enhancements are aimed at giving enterprises the capability to provide generative AI models with AI-ready data, ensuring high quality and governance. The release now allows for customisation of AI models with user-specific knowledge and improved support for unstructured data, facilitating tasks such as extracting sentiment from social media or analysing images.

An additional component of the upgrade is a certification programme targeted at GenAI developers. The new features also expand on AI-focused tools introduced in the earlier 9.1 release, such as Denodo Assistant and the Denodo AI SDK, both designed to streamline the development of GenAI applications.

Speaking about the impact of these AI tools, Barend Van Coller, Data Analyst and Data Governance Team Lead at Alexforbes, said, "With Denodo Assistant and its AI SDK, we've dramatically expanded access to governed data across Alexforbes. What was once the domain of IT and power users is now accessible to non-technical users through intuitive, conversational interactions. We're excited about the upcoming Denodo 9.2 release, which further empowers our teams to search, discover, and interact with data – securely and seamlessly."

Developers constructing data products will find a series of updates aimed at fostering smooth collaboration while maintaining governance and efficiency. These updates include support for continuous integration and development processes, enabling branch-based workflows that allow teams to collaborate with greater flexibility. Automation features such as dependency analysis are intended to help cut down on errors and make data caching and curation more efficient. There is also enhanced support for open table formats, improving compatibility with platforms such as Databricks Unity Catalog and Snowflake's Open Catalog.

Alberto Pan, Chief Technology Officer at Denodo, commented on the company's direction, saying, "By continuously evolving our capabilities in the areas of data-self service, data product development, and GenAI, Denodo is enabling enterprises to leverage data more effectively to enhance decision-making, automate complex workflows, and deliver more powerful services. These innovations will put organizations at the forefront of data-driven transformation, maximizing the impact of their data investments."

Denodo reports that the Platform 9.2 update is intended to accelerate data product development and adoption of GenAI across industries, while continuing to provide expanded access, management, and oversight of organisational data assets.