You can now access powerful data analytics simply by asking questions in everyday language thanks to Microsoft’s latest Power BI innovations. The latest updates are ushering in a new era where business intelligence is intuitive, secure, and available to everyone across an organization.
Meeting the Demands of Generative AI
The surge of generative AI has raised the bar for what users expect from business intelligence platforms. Instant, conversational access to insights is now the norm, but scaling AI adoption remains challenging due to concerns around accuracy, governance, and trust. Microsoft’s recent Power BI updates are empowering both everyday users and technical teams to leverage AI confidently and safely.
- For consumers: Copilot is now more accessible and contextually aware, delivering mobile-friendly answers that understand your business.
- For creators: Technical teams can build tailored AI solutions, enhancing workflows while maintaining strong security and control.
Copilot Everywhere: Contextual Intelligence on Mobile
With the launch of a standalone Copilot experience, users can now chat with their data across all Power BI assets. While Copilot’s mobile expansion allows you to ask questions and receive actionable insights - both visual and textual - from anywhere, at any time.
Significant improvements to the Copilot search function streamline the discovery of insights. Copilot now identifies the most relevant data sources, asks clarifying questions, and delivers concise, focused search results. Enhanced entry points and suggested prompts further reduce friction, making it easier to get from question to answer.
Image Credit: Microsoft
Sharper Answers and Greater Precision
Microsoft has refined how Copilot matches questions to accurate, verified answers by improving prompt-to-answer alignment and fine-tuning filters. The introduction of Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers empower users with advanced answering tools, ensuring analytics are precise and aligned with user intent.
Empowering Custom AI Solutions with Semantic Modeling
Modern organizations require rapid answers and flexible analytics. The new remote Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server, now in Public Preview, enables AI agents to interact securely with Power BI data using Microsoft Entra ID authentication. Teams can build custom agents to retrieve schema, generate efficient DAX queries, and execute them instantly all while ensuring strong security and interoperability.
The Power BI Modeling MCP Server (Preview) modernizes data modeling. Based on open standards, it lets AI agents interact with semantic models using natural language. Users can describe what they want including tables, relationships, or measures and AI handles the technical details. Features like bulk operations, best practice checks, and DAX validation accelerate development and promote consistency.
Ensuring Governance and Auditability
As data models grow in complexity, robust governance is vital. The new Semantic Model Version History, now generally available, allows organizations to track, compare, and restore previous model versions, protecting against errors and enabling safe experimentation. The TMDL Visual Studio Code Extension brings modern coding practices to semantic modeling, speeding up builds and improving reliability.
The Future: AI-Driven BI for All
Microsoft’s vision for Power BI is to make business intelligence AI-powered, accessible, and trustworthy for everyone. Whether you’re seeking quick answers or designing advanced analytics, Power BI’s context-aware intelligence ensures you can confidently extract value from your data.
As these capabilities roll out, expect Power BI to further simplify data interaction and empower users of all skill levels to make informed decisions faster. For a deeper dive and live demonstrations, explore Microsoft’s upcoming Ignite sessions and the Fabric Community Conference.
To dive deeper on these announcements, checkout the recorded session ‘Empower Business Users with AI driven insights in Microsoft Fabric.
Source: Microsoft Power BI Blog
Power BI's Context-Aware Intelligence Is Transforming Business Analytics