I say this as someone who was once deeply passionate about evangelizing dashboards (yes, I was an early Tableau employee)—so apologies to my past teammates and to everyone still working hard in that world.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth:
Dashboards are where questions go to die.
They’re beautiful, static graveyards of yesterday’s curiosities.
The average executive spends just 8 seconds looking at a dashboard. That’s it.
But when you can have a conversation with your data, asking why, digging deeper, and exploring what-ifs in real-time, you go from 8 seconds to 8 insights, and often keep going until you run out of questions.
That’s not hype. I see it happening every single day with Zenlytic.
Dashboards vs. Conversations: Snapshot vs. Strategy
The difference between a dashboard snapshot and a data conversation is the difference between reporting and strategy.
- “Show me sales” → (dashboard snapshot)
- “Why are sales trending this way? What if we adjusted pricing? Which region is driving growth?” → (10-minute conversation with data)
The first gives you a snapshot. The second drives a strategy.
I’ll admit this with a heavy heart: back in the early 2010s, I helped companies build the best snapshots ever (Tableau dashboards are still unmatched). But I wasn’t helping them shape strategy.
That’s what’s so exciting about AI-powered analytics done right, especially when it’s designed for the non-technical end-user.
Why Dashboards Are Becoming the New Fax Machines
Companies that are still clicking through dashboards in 2025 are like companies still using fax machines in 2005. Outdated. Clunky. Holding back progress.
Dashboards won’t disappear entirely; they’ll still serve as reference points. But they are no longer the centerpiece of data strategy.
The future belongs to businesses that can:
- Converse with data in real-time
- Generate dynamic insights instantly
- Empower every team member, not just analysts, to ask better questions
Where Zenlytic Fits In
At Zenlytic, we built the Clarity Engine with Memories to help companies move beyond dashboards:
- Natural conversations with data → Ask why, explore what-ifs, and follow insights without dead ends.
- Consistency you can trust → Unlike probabilistic LLMs, Zoë (our AI data analyst) remembers your preferences and delivers reliable, repeatable answers every time.
- Strategy, not snapshots → Instead of staring at static dashboards, teams uncover the drivers behind performance and act with confidence.
This is what it means to have a true AI data analyst, not just prettier charts.
The Future of Business Intelligence is Intelligent Analytics
The companies that will dominate tomorrow aren’t building more dashboards.
They’re building a culture of curiosity and real-time conversation with data.
With AI maturing, that future is already here, and Zenlytic is making it possible today.
So, how do you see dashboards now that AI is rewriting the rules of analytics?
Follow John Jensen on Linkedin for more insights.
