Our colleague and data technology expert Adan Santos was on site at the Tableau Conference 2025 in San Diego and has a few highlights in his luggage, including Tableau Next! In this article, Adan shares his key impressions, the main highlights of the conference and why now is the perfect time to actively shape the next evolutionary stage of data-driven decision-making.
Article by Adan Santos, Data Technology Expert M2
From groundbreaking product announcements to unforgettable networking moments and vibrant community energy, Tableau Conference 2025 (TC25) in sunny San Diego was nothing short of incredible!
The future of Tableau - the agent-based era of data & AI
One of the highlights was the introduction of Tableau Next and the ushering in of the Agentic Analytics era.
Tableau Conference 2025 marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of analytics - not just as a technological update, but as a call to embrace a new way of thinking: the Agentic Era. This new chapter represents a fusion of AI, data and human intuition, where analysts become decision architects, organizations shift from reactive to proactive and data truly becomes a driving force.
At the heart of this transformation is a vision in which AI agents work alongside human decision-makers. Tableau presented Tableau Next, a new product that is natively integrated into the Salesforce ecosystem and offers, among other things
- the provision of AI-supported, code-free analysis workflows,
- the use of semantic understanding for more precise and contextual insights,
- and collaboration through integrated tools such as Slack, Mobile and Agentforce.
So it's not just about automating tasks - it's about unlocking human potential, streamlining complexity and enabling every user to ask better questions and act faster.
Tableau stays & grows
One of the most important findings: “Classic” Tableau (Server, Cloud, Prep, Desktop) remains a central part of Salesforce's strategy. With new features, regional extensions and even AI capabilities also available on Tableau Server, it's clear that it's an extension, not a replacement.
The result is a unified product portfolio, with Tableau Next complementing existing solutions to provide interoperable, scalable and AI-powered experiences.
New opportunities & transformation
Tableau presents more than just product updates – it rethinks the way we work:
- Analysts are evolving into strategic supporters, empowered by AI but still essential for trust, context and judgment.
- Companies are turning from data-rich but insight-poor organizations into truly data-driven companies at all levels.
- AI agents (such as Data Pro, Concierge, Inspector) help to optimize work instead of replacing it - leaving more time to focus on the essentials.
Remarkable innovations announced
- Semantic layer with AI - for harmonized, trustworthy insights across departmental boundaries
- Advanced visualization and sharing tools, including internal marketplaces
- Tableau Agent for Tableau Public will be available soon
- Support for hybrid cloud environments (such as Tableau on GCP and advanced Tableau Bridge use cases)
- Continued investment in Tableau Cloud and Server, with more than 130 new features this year
A list of all product innovations from the popular “Devs on Stage” conference format, presented by their developers, can be found here.
My conclusion
The core message of the Tableau Conference 2025 is very clear to me: your job will not disappear - it will change. Now is the time to seize the opportunity to lead this next chapter. Whether you're an analyst, data engineer, decision maker or partner, the Tableau community (DataFam) is growing, thriving and ready to shape the future - together.
Like Ryan Aytay, President und CEO at Tableau, said:
„The future isn’t a distant point on the horizon — it’s being shaped right here, right now. Are you ready for what’s NEXT?“
– by Adan Santos
Let's find out together how your company can successfully utilize the new possibilities of Agentic Analytics - contact our experts today!