What Is a Semantic Layer and Why Do I Need It?

A semantic layer is the thing that keeps your data from turning into a giant, messy guessing game. It takes raw tables and turns them into business concepts like "Revenue" or "Churn" that everyone can actually understand — even your AI. With it, your metrics stay consistent, your dashboards agree, and your AI stops hallucinating. Without it, you're stuck with confusing data, rogue definitions, and way too many arguments about which number is right.

Bottom line: If you want data you can trust—and AI that doesn't make stuff up—you need a semantic layer. Preferably one that doesn't make you write YAML.