The transformative power of technology is driving innovation and unlocking new possibilities in data analytics.

As businesses continue to navigate an increasingly complex digital landscape, the integration of AI and data analytics will undoubtedly play a central role in shaping success. With Google LLC at the forefront of this revolution, the future of data analysis has never looked more promising.

“It’s powering the users to be able to do more with data, but also automating parts of the data analytics lifecycle that has historically been super repetitive, mundane, long and hard work,” said Yasmeen Ahmad (pictured), managing director of data analytics and AI at Google.

Ahmad spoke with theCUBE Research analysts John Furrier, Rebecca Knight and Rob Strechay at Google Cloud Next 2024, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio. They discussed era of enterprise data and AI convergence, including Google product updates and the company’s commitment to democratizing data analytics. (* Disclosure below.)

The data analytics frontier

Enterprise data and AI are revolutionizing traditional business practices, according to Ahmad. The integration of BigQuery, Vertex AI and Gemini promises to unlock new possibilities, enabling users to harness the power of AI directly within their secure data environments.

“With BigQuery, we are the AI-ready data foundation,” Ahmad said. “It’s a unified foundation with one access control layer, one set of governance across structured unstructured data … being able to have that single unified access layer, single governance across that data means for our customers [that] they feel like they have a trusted foundation to deploy gen AI on top of.”

One of the most compelling aspects of Google’s offerings lies in its commitment to democratizing data analytics. With tools such as Gemini and BigQuery, the barrier to entry for leveraging AI and analytics is significantly lowered. By streamlining processes and automating repetitive tasks, Google is empowering organizations to focus on innovation and value creation, Ahmad added.

“I would talk about first is bringing gen AI to enterprise data for the customers we work with,” she said. “They don’t want to take their data out of their secure data cloud. They want the BigQuery/Vertex AI direct integration … that direct connection between BigQuery and Vertex AI really enables the enterprises to make use of gen AI on top of their enterprise data.”

Future of data analytics

There is also a need in the tech industry for diversity and inclusion, including attracting more women and young talent, according to Ahmad. As technology continues to shape our world, fostering a diverse workforce becomes crucial in driving innovation and addressing complex challenges.

“Earlier we touched on [how] young people are gravitating,” she said. “I think they are seeing the excitement of this space and what it can do. We need to capitalize on that momentum. I think getting more women into tech [is] super, super important. If we look at all of the use cases and things coming out and with generative AI and the creativity, that’s something that we can also tap into to get more people interested in this space.”

From accelerating AI adoption to reimagining traditional workflows, Google Cloud’s offerings are poised to shape the future of data analytics. With a focus on accessibility, scalability and security, Google is leading the charge toward a more data-driven and inclusive future, according to Ahmad.

“That’s why enterprises are coming to Google, because we have the scalability, we have the security, we have the performance,” she said. “Now, with the gen AI integrated in, it’s up to your imagination what you want to do.”

Here’s the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE Research’s coverage of Google Cloud Next 2024:

(* Disclosure: Google LLC sponsored this segment of theCUBE. Neither Google nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE