Snowflake built a semantic layer. Databricks built a semantic layer. Both are saying the same thing to enterprise data teams: "Don't worry. We've got this." Here's the problem. A semantic layer that lives inside your warehouse is only as universal as that warehouse. Before you adopt it — ask yourself one question: Is my data estate going to stay inside one platform forever? The answer changes everything. 🎬 #SemanticLayer #Snowflake #Databricks #DataEngineering #BusinessIntelligence #StrategyMosaic #ModernDataStack #DataGovernance #UniversalSemanticLayer #Analytics Full breakdown in the comments 👇 Running Snowflake, Databricks, or considering one of them as your Semantic Layer? Drop it below.
I genuinely wonder how hard it would be to simply translate one semantic model to another.
What's the agnostic semantic layer play?
Agreed, that the real innovation in Mosaic lies in combining AI-driven modeling with a universal semantic layer, well-suited for complex, multi-platform environments, but I think there will be trade-offs in performance, cost, and governance complexity. In contrast, native semantic layers in platforms like Snowflake and Databricks are often better for focused, standardized, and cost-sensitive setups, offering simplicity and tight integration. But the right choice will depend on aligning the architecture with the data ecosystem.
The Open Semantic Interchange initiative seems to be a really smart move to address this; both for the user - a fairly wide range of orgs are already partners in supporting the initiative - but also strategically for the vendors themselves, as they seek to band together to control the standard of the layer which acts as the entry point for AI.
Igor Freitas have you heard of the Open Semantic Interchange? It’s an open source standard designed to act as a universal translator for semantic layers. Josh Klahr https://www.snowflake.com/en/blog/open-semantic-interchanges-specs-finalized/
Really liked your thought Igor Freitas. The problem doesn't stop there, you will find multiple BI products getting used by Business teams which would have their own semantic definitions for metrics. So, I really loved your idea of Semantic layer outside of any BI and Data Warehouse tools. 👍
In government and public sector organisations, this question answers itself. Data lives in legacy systems, cloud platforms, multiple agencies, and ERP systems that will never converge. The semantic layer has to sit above all of it or it serves the IT team, not the organisation.
So many semantic layer options, and still no full portability of your logic
Very true!
🎬 Full comparison here: https://youtu.be/8BdIcbV0nMo Snowflake Semantic Views vs Databricks Metric Views vs Strategy Mosaic — the comparison the data community needs right now.