Zoho Corporation, a global leader in business technology, has unveiled a significantly enhanced version of Zoho Analytics, introducing cutting-edge AI and machine learning (ML) capabilities that elevate the platform’s intelligence, automation, and analytical power. With over 100 new upgrades, this release transforms the way businesses interact with data, offering predictive insights, automated reporting, and seamless AI integration to drive smarter decision-making.

Key Takeaways

  • Zoho Analytics now integrates AI and machine learning, enhancing predictive insights, automation, and reporting capabilities.
  • The platform introduces a custom ML model-building studio, allowing businesses to develop tailored models for specific needs.
  • Integration with OpenAI and third-party BI platforms ensures flexibility while maintaining a unified analytics experience.
  • Advanced AI features like Ask Zia and Auto Analysis provide real-time decision-making support.
  • Expanded data management capabilities, including 500+ data connectors and streamlined ETL pipelines, enhance efficiency.
  • Data Science & Machine Learning (DSML) Studio enables businesses to build and deploy custom AI models with AutoML and Python integration.
  • New BI Fabric functionality allows for cross-platform data analysis, consolidating insights from Power BI, Tableau, and others.
  • Experts highlight Zoho’s leadership in AI-driven analytics, positioning it as a scalable, user-friendly solution for both business users and data scientists.
  • Pricing and availability details are available on Zoho’s official website.

Among the standout features is a custom ML model-building studio, allowing organizations to tailor machine learning models to their unique business needs. Additionally, the platform now includes integration with OpenAI and third-party BI platform extensions, ensuring businesses have the flexibility to harness external tools while maintaining a unified analytics experience. With these advancements, Zoho Analytics is positioned as a formidable competitor in the BI space, offering enterprise-grade analytics at an unparalleled value.

“This update is essential for IT leaders looking to streamline data integration and scale their analytics infrastructure without incurring excessive costs,” said Philip Edey, Head of Business Analytics at Arctic Spas, a global innovator in all-weather pools and spas. “For us, Zoho Analytics is more than a reporting tool—it’s a strategic asset that ensures our decisions are backed by accurate, real-time data. The platform’s advanced AI features, including Ask Zia, provide instant insights, while its predictive analytics help us stay ahead of market trends. One of the most impactful additions is the multi-layered mapping feature, which allows us to visualize regional data in greater depth, helping us refine our business strategy and customer outreach. Whether we’re launching a new product or optimizing sales channels, Zoho Analytics delivers the intelligence needed to drive innovation and outperform the competition.

A Legacy of Innovation and a Future-Ready BI Platform

“Zoho Analytics first launched in 2009 as Zoho Reports, long before AI-driven analytics became mainstream,” said Raju Vegesna, Chief Evangelist at Zoho Corporation. “We’ve consistently invested in automation, low-code/no-code technology, third-party integrations, and AI-driven analytics powered by Zia, our proprietary AI engine. This latest version represents the culmination of those investments—an intuitive, intelligent, and scalable platform that puts powerful BI tools in the hands of every business.

The newly enhanced Zoho Analytics revolves around four core areas of innovation: Data Management, AI, Data Science & Machine Learning, and Extensibility. These upgrades deliver a more seamless, automated, and insightful analytics experience, enabling businesses to unlock new growth opportunities and optimize decision-making like never before.

Revolutionizing Business Intelligence: Key Enhancements in Zoho Analytics

Zoho Analytics introduces a powerful suite of upgrades, reinforcing its position as a leading business intelligence (BI) platform. With advanced data management, AI-driven insights, machine learning (ML) innovations, and seamless extensibility, the latest enhancements empower businesses with deeper, faster, and more actionable analytics.

AI-Driven Business Intelligence with Generative AI

Zoho Analytics now integrates Generative AI across its BI platform, making data insights more intelligent, accessible, and contextual than ever.

  • Ask Zia, Zoho’s AI copilot, now understands Spanish and French, allowing users to build custom data models and trigger actions in multiple languages.
  • Zia Insights introduces diagnostic analytics, bringing decision intelligence directly into the platform.
  • Auto Analysis automatically generates AI-powered metrics, reports, and dashboards for rapid decision-making.
  • OpenAI integration with Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) enables users to craft more precise queries, find public datasets, and generate SQL and formula-based queries with ease.
  • Ask Zia is now available on Microsoft Teams, allowing real-time conversational insights within workplace communication channels.

These AI-driven capabilities ensure that businesses can extract insights effortlessly and act on them in real time.

Advanced Data Management for Smarter Decisions

The latest version of Zoho Analytics significantly enhances its data management ecosystem, making it more robust, automated, and precise.

  • Expanded Data Connectivity: The platform now supports Stream Analytics and 25 new data connectors, bringing its total portfolio to 500+ integrations.
  • Comprehensive ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) Pipelines: Users can now:
    • Build end-to-end data pipelines using Zoho’s visual builder.
    • Leverage the Python Code Studio to create custom ML transformations.
    • Use Ask Zia’s natural language capabilities to transform data effortlessly.
    • Access a new Sandbox environment and automatic versioning system.
    • Orchestrate pipelines seamlessly with Zoho Flow.
  • Unified Metrics Layer: Businesses can now define, standardize, and catalog all key performance metrics in a single, centralized view, ensuring consistency across BI applications.
  • Headless BI Mode: Zoho Analytics can now operate in a headless mode, enabling other data applications to consume real-time metrics directly from the platform.

These enhancements streamline data governance, improve accuracy, and accelerate decision-making.

Data Science & Machine Learning (DSML) Studio

The new DSML Studio in Zoho Analytics enables businesses to build and deploy custom ML models effortlessly.

  • AutoML (No-Code Machine Learning): Users can create custom ML models without coding, leveraging feature engineering, hyperparameter tuning, and model analysis tools.
  • Integrated Python Code Studio: Businesses can build custom models, import external Python libraries, and execute them directly within the platform.
  • Predictive Analytics: From customer churn analysis to sales forecasting, businesses can now unlock powerful predictive insights with minimal effort.

These ML-driven capabilities ensure faster, more precise, and highly customizable data science workflows.

Extensibility: Seamless Integration Across BI Platforms

Zoho Analytics is now more extensible than ever, allowing businesses to synchronize and unify data across multiple platforms for comprehensive analysis.

  • BI Fabric for Multi-Platform Insights: Businesses can now consolidate insights from Power BI, Tableau, and other BI tools into a single, unified analytics portal, complete with fine-grained access controls.
  • Automated Workflows: Users can trigger workflows, send Webhooks, and execute URL actions directly from within Zoho Analytics.
  • No-Code Data Connector Builder: Organizations and partners can now create, publish, and sell custom data connectors on the Zoho Marketplace.

These extensibility improvements eliminate data silos and provide businesses with a unified analytics experience.

Enhanced User Experience and Platform Upgrades

The latest release of Zoho Analytics includes over 100 new features and improvements, including:

  • New visualizations for deeper insights.
  • Enhanced dashboard-building capabilities for more intuitive reporting.
  • Advanced admin and audit controls for better data governance.
  • Revamped mobile apps for analytics on the go.
  • Right-to-Left (RTL) support for languages such as Arabic and Hebrew.

Pricing & Availability

The new Zoho Analytics update is available immediately. To explore pricing and features, visit: Zoho Analytics Pricing.

The Future of Zoho Analytics: Expert Perspectives & Our Take

A Shift Towards AI-Driven Analytics

The landscape of data analytics is evolving rapidly, with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) becoming integral to business intelligence. Analysts agree that Zoho Analytics is at the forefront of this shift, emphasizing its commitment to future-proofing its platform. According to Amalgam Insights’ Chief Analyst, Hyoun Park, Zoho Analytics’ new features—including AutoML, OpenAI integration, and a model development Code Studio—position it as a key investment for both Zoho One suite users and standalone customers. This demonstrates Zoho’s strategic focus on AI-driven analytics, ensuring that businesses can leverage predictive insights effortlessly.

Strengthening Data Management & Ownership

Beyond AI enhancements, Zoho is making significant strides in data management. Albert Pang, President of Apps Run The World, highlights the platform’s ability to provide businesses with greater control over data integration and management. With increased ownership capabilities, organizations can create their own data lakes without relying on costly third-party providers. This is especially valuable for IT architects seeking scalable and cost-efficient solutions.

Self-Service BI for Faster Decision-Making

Michael Fauscette, CEO of Arion Research, praises Zoho Analytics for elevating self-service business intelligence (BI). The latest release integrates AI-powered features that streamline complex workflows, improving decision intelligence and data extensibility. This resonates with the need for organizations to gain deeper insights while maintaining a user-friendly interface.

A Comprehensive Analytics Ecosystem

Zoho Analytics is evolving beyond a traditional BI tool into a holistic analytics ecosystem. Doug Henschen of Constellation Research points to the platform’s augmented analytics and data science capabilities, which add even more value to an already competitive offering. Additionally, Vinnie Mirchandani, Founder of Deal Architect, highlights Zoho’s impressive traction in the BI market, with 70,000 customers benefiting from its expansive network of over 500 data connectors. This broad reach enables businesses to access diverse data sources, making it a powerful tool in the era of Generative AI.

Empowering Organizations with Democratized Data Access

Howard Dresner, Founder of Dresner Advisory Services, emphasizes the growing need for self-service BI as organizations scale. Zoho Analytics facilitates collaboration, improves governance, and accelerates time-to-insight. Similarly, Nishchal Khorana of Frost & Sullivan sees Zoho’s approach as pivotal in giving businesses a competitive edge by aligning with evolving analytics requirements.

A Unified, AI-Enhanced Platform

As businesses manage increasingly complex data landscapes, Keith Kirkpatrick from The Futurum Group notes that Zoho Analytics enhances automation, integration, and usability. It simplifies business intelligence for organizations of all sizes, making data-driven decision-making more accessible. IDC’s Megha Kumar echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the role of Generative AI in accelerating insights, anomaly detection, and predictive modeling.

Designed for Both Business Users & Data Scientists

Zoho Analytics caters to a diverse user base. Igor Ikonnikov from Info-Tech Research Group appreciates its balanced approach, enabling both business owners and experienced coders to extract insights efficiently. InFlow Analysis’ Dave Smith highlights the integration of Zoho’s AI assistant, Zia, which enhances collaboration and decision-making within the broader Zoho ecosystem.

AI Democratization & Ethical Implementation

A key differentiator for Zoho is its responsible AI integration. Jason English of Intellyx underscores how Zoho’s AI-powered analytics make data more accessible to non-technical users while offering advanced tools for developers. ISG Software Research’s Matt Aslett further notes that Generative AI is reshaping the analytics landscape, making data management and standardization crucial for business confidence.

Addressing Enterprise Challenges & Driving Efficiency

Moor Insights & Strategy’s Melody Brue sees Zoho Analytics as a solution to the overwhelming influx of business data, making analytics more scalable and efficient. Alex Wurm from Nucleus Research highlights the platform’s usability enhancements, ensuring businesses can harness AI-powered insights without steep learning curves. Derek Top from Opus Research commends Zoho’s advancements in self-service AI-infused BI, helping businesses automate machine learning models and derive insights from natural-language queries.

The Competitive Edge in BI

As organizations grapple with rapid technological changes, Shelly Kramer from SiliconAngle and theCUBE Research sees Zoho Analytics as a game-changer in the BI space. Unlike many competitors embedding AI for the sake of it, Zoho prioritizes usability and practical implementation, as noted by Jorge Garcia of Technology Evaluation Center. This strategic approach ensures that AI is not just a buzzword but a meaningful enhancement.

Bridging the AI Gap for SMBs

Historically, AI and ML tools were accessible only to large enterprises, but Zoho is changing this. Brian Sommer of TechVentive applauds Zoho for democratizing AI, enabling small and mid-sized businesses to integrate data, tune algorithms, and extract insights without heavy technical expertise. This levels the playing field, allowing businesses of all sizes to remain competitive.

The expert consensus is clear: Zoho Analytics is setting a new benchmark for BI and data analytics. By combining AI-powered automation, comprehensive data management, and self-service BI, it empowers businesses to make informed decisions efficiently. Whether for large enterprises, SMBs, or individual data analysts, Zoho Analytics offers a robust, scalable, and future-ready solution in the evolving world of business intelligence.

About Zoho & Its Privacy Commitment

Zoho Corporation is a leading technology provider with 55+ apps across major business categories. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, with international headquarters in Chennai, India, Zoho is privately held, profitable, and employs over 15,000 professionals. With a strong commitment to user privacy, Zoho operates without an ad-revenue model, even in its free products. The company owns and manages its data centers, ensuring full control over customer data, privacy, and security. Trusted by over 100 million users worldwide, including its own teams, Zoho continues to empower businesses globally. Learn more at: www.zoho.com | Privacy Commitment.

Technology Castle: Your Trusted Zoho Development Partner

For businesses seeking expert Zoho development, Technology Castle stands as the premier partner. Specializing in custom Zoho solutions, integrations, and optimizations, Technology Castle ensures businesses maximize their Zoho experience for enhanced productivity and growth.

References 

Dresner, H. (n.d.). Founder of Dresner Advisory Services

English, J. (n.d.). Intellyx

Edey, P. (n.d.). Head of Business Analytics at Arctic Spas

Fauscette, M. (n.d.). CEO of Arion Research

Henschen, D. (n.d.). Constellation Research

Ikonnikov, I. (n.d.). Info-Tech Research Group

Kirkpatrick, K. (n.d.). The Futurum Group

Khorana, N. (n.d.). Frost & Sullivan

Kumar, M. (n.d.). IDC

Mirchandani, V. (n.d.). Founder of Deal Architect

Pang, A. (n.d.). President of Apps Run The World

Park, H. (n.d.). Chief Analyst at Amalgam Insights

Smith, D. (n.d.). InFlow Analysis

Vegesna, R. (n.d.). Chief Evangelist at Zoho Corporation

Wurm, A. (n.d.). Nucleus Research

Zoho Corporation. (2025). Zoho CRM unveils AI-powered sales forecasting for smarter business decisions.