-->

Super Early Bird Pricing for KMWorld 2026 Available for a Limited Time!
Register NOW for November 16-19. Use code SUPERSAVINGS.

Evolution of Semantic Layers and Knowledge Graphs: Pivotal Components for KM

Article Featured Image

The semantic layer needs to span across all the data assets, Bhojani emphasized. “There needs to be a common understand- ing and definition of metrics. When an agent asks a question it’s important for the system to understand the context and answer in keeping with the individual’s role.”

Dremio can also retrieve information that was once unstructured but has been preprocessed into structured Iceberg tables on object storage. “For example, an insurance company could upload images and use Dremio to preprocess them into structured tables,” explained Bhojani. “Those tables could capture information such as what appears in the image, the area of a vehicle that was damaged, or other attributes needed for analysis.” All this information can be retrieved as the accident investigation proceeds.

In November 2025, Dremio introduced its agentic lakehouse, which allows its Dremio Cloud to function as a self-managing platform. As of early 2026, Dremio also began marketing a second-generation semantic layer that includes a knowledge graph. Its semantic layer helps provide accurate results and avoid hallucinations. “This capability will facilitate search and discovery while providing additional context for the user,” observed Bhojani.

[In May 2026, Dremio announced its acquisition by SAP. —Ed.]

Over time, structured and unstructured data have moved closer together, both in terms of organizational interactions and in terms of the enabling technologies. Merging structured and unstructured data provides a richer knowledgebase and a more solid path to agentic AI, as well as greater accessibility for users. The semantic layer and knowledge graphs have gone a long way to drive this trend.

New Book on the Semantic Layers Framework

Joseph Hilger, Lulit Tesfaye, and Zachary Wahl are the authors of a new book about semantic layers technology. Titled Bridging Knowledge, Data, and AI: Harnessing the Semantic Layer Framework to Drive Intelligence, it was published by Springer in May 2026 and has 242 pages of valuable information and insights.

The book spans the business and the technical elements of semantic layers. The authors explain the core components (knowledge assets, business glossary, metadata, taxonomies, and knowledge graphs) and how those relate to semantic layers. They provide a step-by-step guide to the design and implementation of a semantic layer, digging into the modeling of these components. On the business side, they look at business outcomes and ROI. Case studies give real-world examples of how semantic layers have been successfully implemented. The influence of AI both now and in the future is explored, as organizations evolve their semantic ecosystems to drive responsible AI adoption and add to their competitive capabilities.

A Q&A with the authors is available as a ViewPoints article in this issue of KMWorld.  

KMWorld Covers
Free
for qualified subscribers
Subscribe Now Current Issue Past Issues
KMWorld on Facebook
KMWorld on X
KMWorld on LinkedIn
KMWorld on YouTube
Best Practices
100 Companies That Matter in Knowledge Management 2020
KMWorld Trendsetting Products of 2019
Knowledge Management Webinars
Site Sponsors