FreeLive Webinar

Diverse, Distributed, and Unready: Why Your AI Inputs Need a Semantic Layer

Your AI is only as good as the data it can reach, and most enterprise data is scattered across on-premises systems and multiple clouds. In this BARC Research Briefing you'll learn why an independent semantic layer is what finally gives your models and agents unified access and business context.

Session Details

  • Date: Thursday, July 16, 2026
  • Time: 8:00 AM PT | 11:00 AM ET
  • Duration: 60 minutes
  • Format: Live with Q&A

Reserve Your Spot

Registration is free. We'll send a confirmation email with your calendar invite and join details.

WEBINAR AGENDA

What You'll Learn

Why distributed data blocks enterprise AI, what an independent semantic layer must do about it, and how to get there.

The data reality

Understand why hybrid, multi-cloud data environments are the core obstacle to enterprise AI, and why migration alone will not solve it.

What a semantic layer must do

Learn the specific requirements for a platform-independent semantic layer, including federated querying, aggregated views, and integrated metadata.

Steps to get there

Walk away with a practical framework for building or evaluating a semantic layer that actually supports production AI.

Featured Speakers

Meet the Speakers

Kevin Petrie

Kevin Petrie

VP of Research, BARC

Kevin Petrie leads the data management practice at BARC, where he writes about AI, data integration, and data governance. With 30 years of experience as an analyst, instructor, marketer, and tech journalist, he translates what emerging technology means for practitioners. A frequent public speaker and co-author of two books on data management, Kevin focuses on helping data and AI leaders navigate evolving strategies, tools, and techniques.

Mark Shainman

Mark Shainman

Product Expert, Dremio

Mark Shainman covers lakehouse architecture, semantic layer, data federation, and agentic analytics at Dremio. Before Dremio, he led database migration, master data management, and federated query programs at Teradata. He draws on dozens of customer implementations to help organizations bridge distributed data environments and put AI to work.

Ready to see how it works?

Talk to a Dremio expert about what a semantic layer looks like in your environment.

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