The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has raised questions about the continued relevance of business intelligence (BI).
While some may assume AI’s rise renders traditional BI obsolete, Jay Naidoo, business intelligence manager at Nedgroup Investments, who is also leading the company’s AI strategy, argues that BI is not only still relevant, but evolving in ways that make it more indispensable than ever.
And with 25 years of BI experience behind him and strong academic credentials as a futurist, Naidoo is well placed to present the case for BI in a rapidly evolving AI world.
According to Naidoo, BI has always been dynamic, with definitions of what it actually is varying from one organisation to another.
“Some see BI as little more than report generation, while others view it as a sophisticated system for data management, visualisation and even data science. It’s this adaptability that has allowed BI to integrate AI into its framework, enhancing rather than replacing its capabilities,” he says.
Naidoo believes the infusion of AI tools that can generate code, produce insights and build dashboards empowers BI professionals, making their work more efficient and effective.
“Rather than rendering BI obsolete, AI acts as a force multiplier, accelerating the analytical processes that BI teams undertake,” he emphasises, explaining that the key distinction between BI and AI lies in their core functions.
“BI is rooted in historical data analysis, structured reporting and performance tracking, while AI expands on these foundations with predictive modelling, anomaly detection and automated decision-making. Together, they form a symbiotic relationship where BI provides structured, governed data pipelines essential for AI training, and AI, in turn, enhances BI with deeper insights and automation.
“This partnership creates a continuous feedback loop, reinforcing BI’s importance in modern data-driven enterprises.”
The rise of generative BI
Naidoo maintains the potential emergence of generative BI, which will allow users to produce insights without relying exclusively on BI professionals, will introduce both opportunities and challenges.
However, he warns that while this democratisation of data analysis could speed up decision-making and expand access to data insights, it cannot and will not eliminate the need for BI expertise.
“The effectiveness of generative BI will depend on the structured data pipelines and governance frameworks established by BI teams. Without expert oversight, the risk of misinterpretation and unreliable conclusions increases, underscoring the necessity of experienced BI practitioners,” he says.
A critical question remains: Can individuals without extensive data expertise effectively utilise BI tools?
“Yes and no,” Naidoo says.
“While AI-driven tools lower the technical barriers to entry, true multidimensional thinking – an essential skill for BI professionals – cannot be easily replicated by software; at least, not yet and probably not for the foreseeable future.
“The ability to interpret data contextually, ask the right questions and ensure data quality remain uniquely human capabilities. This expertise makes BI practitioners indispensable in an AI-enhanced landscape, as they provide the necessary oversight to ensure AI-driven insights are both accurate and actionable,” he adds.
Looking ahead, Naidoo believes BI is likely to adopt a more federated model, where power users embedded within different business units take on a more active role in meeting their departments' data needs.
AI-powered self-service BI tools will continue to empower non-experts, but upskilling initiatives will be essential to ensure that users across organisations can interpret and apply insights effectively. Meanwhile, central BI teams will focus on complex analytical tasks, governance and innovative data solutions that AI alone cannot handle.
AI integration is also poised to accelerate the shift from batch processing to real-time analytics, making BI tools more dynamic and user-friendly.
“However, while AI holds promise for automating data cleansing and integration, its real-world effectiveness in these areas is still being tested. Business analysts and BI professionals will need a deeper understanding of their organisations' processes, making their roles more valuable than ever,” Naidoo says.
“Ultimately, BI and AI are not competitors but collaborators. AI makes BI more powerful, but BI provides the necessary foundation for AI to function effectively. The future of BI lies in fostering a culture of data literacy, evolving metadata governance and strengthening the collaboration between BI and AI experts. This convergence will ensure that BI remains a cornerstone of modern business strategy, continually evolving to meet the demands of an AI-driven world,” he concludes.
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