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Natural language processing (NLP) and natural language generation (NLG) technologies have transformed the way we interact with computers. With the help of large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, users can easily communicate with software products using natural language. Tableau, a popular business intelligence (BI) and data visualization tool, has now joined the augmented analytics trend with the launch of its own LLM-based product, Tableau GPT.

What is Tableau GPT?

Tableau GPT is an AI-based suite of capabilities that enhances Tableau's BI platform and allows users to explore data using natural language. The product is based on Salesforce's Einstein GPT, which utilizes several pre-trained LLMs such as OpenAI's GPT-3, and proprietary models.

Through Tableau GPT, users can have a conversation with the analytics database using natural language queries. The platform automatically summarizes the data and suggests new questions based on what the user explores. It also tracks metrics and generates easy-to-understand summaries of the insights.

Tableau GPT is not just a conversational BI tool; it also includes several automation features. One of its main components is the AI-powered data preparation tool that automates the entire data preparation process, from data extraction to cleaning, merging, and structuring.

How Does Tableau GPT Work?

Tableau GPT introduces a new user interface called Tableau Pulse, which allows users to have a natural language conversation with Tableau GPT, view the metrics it tracks, and explore data. Pulse is more than just a chatbot. It guides users through the data exploration process, finding connections, and insights along the way.

In contrast to using SQL generated by an LLM, Tableau GPT focuses on the natural language conversation between users and the analytics database, making data exploration feel more conversational, like a Q&A. This functionality enables Tableau users to bridge the gap between experts and beginners alike and to streamline the data exploration process.

A Complete New Experience for Analytics

The objective of Tableau GPT and Tableau Pulse is to offer a complete new experience in data and analytics. It’s no longer just about creating and exploring visualizations. It’s about communicating data insights and consuming them via natural language queries, summaries, and data visualizations.

Through Tableau GPT, analytics is no longer exclusively for data experts and analysts. It's for everyone who wants to understand and explore data and leverage data knowledge.

The integration of Slack (also owned by Salesforce) helps users share insights, queries, and data within an organization, enabling collaboration, and generating new insights where everyone's perspective is valuable.

Tableau Open-Source Alternatives

Tableau GPT has brought new dimensions to the BI and analytics space. Although Tableau is widely recognized as the gold standard when it comes to data visualization, there are other alternatives worth exploring.

One of the most popular open-source BI and data visualization platforms is Superset BI. Superset is an easy-to-use and interactive web-based analytics platform tailored for data exploration. It offers rich data visualization functionalities, including custom charts and graphs, with the support of Python libraries such as Pandas and Modin Pandas.

Microsoft’s Power BI is another popular Tableau alternative with a strong foothold in the self-service BI market. Power BI offers a vast range of data sources, pre-built data connectors, and visualization capabilities. It also offers machine learning functionalities and natural language queries that facilitate data exploration.

In the open-source domain, Apache Zeppelin, and Redash are popular BI and data visualization tools. Apache Zeppelin is ideal for collaborative data analysis and cloud deployment, while Redash is a data collaboration platform for data-driven teams that aims to make data-driven decision-making a norm across organizations.

Conclusion

Tableau GPT represents a significant step forward in the analytics world, offering a comprehensive natural language-based suite of augmented analytics capabilities. With the help of Tableau GPT, everyone can access insights, explore data, and generate new insights without needing advanced technical knowledge or data analytics expertise.

At the same time, BI and data visualization tools continue to evolve and expand, providing users with more choices than ever before. Although Tableau is the dominant force in the market, alternatives such as Superset BI, Power BI, Apache Zeppelin, and Redash have proven to be solid performers, providing users with competitive capabilities and functionalities.

As BI and analytics continue to play an increasingly critical role in business decision-making, organizations need to re-evaluate their BI and analytics tools. With Tableau GPT and the Tableau Pulse UI, BI is moving in an exciting new direction, pushing software product design in new and innovative ways. Tableau GPT is likely to push a much wider array of analytics tools in the same direction, with more LLM-based tools set to emerge.