In today’s data-driven world, semantic models have become the backbone of trustworthy analytics. They define business logic, metrics, and relationships that turn raw data into meaningful, trusted and curated insights. As organizations embrace generative AI, semantic models provide the structure and context that AI needs to deliver accurate, reliable answers.
At Microsoft, we have spent nearly two decades refining the semantic layer that connects data to business meaning – from Analysis Services in the early days, to the current Power BI and Fabric platform. What began as a reporting foundation has evolved into the intelligence layer powering AI. Today, Power BI’s semantic models are powering over 35 million monthly active users globally, making it one of the most strategic assets in the modern data ecosystem.
We’re excited to share that Microsoft has been named a Leader and Outperformer in the 2025 GigaOm Radar for Semantic Layers & Metric Stores. This recognition reflects our deep investment in building a semantic layer that’s not only enterprise-grade, but also AI-ready.
GigaOm specifically highlighted Microsoft’s strengths in delivering a comprehensive semantic layer that balances enterprise-grade governance with ease of use. Power BI was recognized for its deep modeling capabilities, open architecture, and rapid innovation especially in enabling trusted GenAI integration through features like Verified Answers and semantic link. The report also praised Microsoft’s ability to unify semantic modeling across BI, data science, and AI workflows, positioning Power BI as a strategic platform for modern analytics.
This recognition only underscores the effort we’re putting into building self-service and enterprise grade semantic models. As noted by GigaOm and evidenced by our rich set of feature releases, we’re continually enhancing our semantic model offering to enable intelligent experiences in your organizations.
Whether you’re a BI engineer, data analyst, or even a business user, Power BI’s semantic model gives you a trusted foundation for analytics and AI. It’s reusable, secure, and governed—and now smarter than ever.
Read the full GigaOm Radar for Semantic Layers & Metric Stores to see how Power BI stacks up and why semantic models are the future of analytics. To dive deeper into semantic models, read our blog about how semantic models can accelerate your AI journey.
And if you want to see what’s next, join us at Microsoft Ignite this November and the Fabric Community Conference in Atlanta next March! Be there to experience innovation firsthand and take your data strategy to the next level.