MicroStrategy Inc.

06/11/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/11/2025 03:33

What is a Universal Intelligence Layer

What is a Universal Intelligence Layer?

Tanmay Ratanpal

June 11, 2025

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Discover what a Universal Intelligence Layer is and why it's critical for BI and analytics. Explore its functions, benefits, and applications across industries, and find answers to frequently asked questions.


From Marketing and HR to Sales and Customer Success, data drives every result. In business intelligence, data is analyzed, processed, and re-formatted to uncover unique insights that deliver strategic advantage.


But inconsistent data creates misalignment, friction, and risk-slowing innovation and putting growth at stake.


That's why a clear understanding of data is critical for accurate analytics, trusted strategy, and confident innovation.

What is a Universal Intelligence Layer?

Imagine a dictionary with thousands of words. Each word has a clear meaning-but can be used in hundreds of different contexts. Now, imagine having a conversation with a business partner who knows the words, but not the context. Sounds tough, right?


However, if both parties share the same definitions and context upfront, they can verify details, simplify communication, and take action-without confusion or costly missteps.


That's exactly what the Universal Intelligence Layer does. It consolidates all your data sources into a single source of truth. It acts as a "universal dictionary" for your business data, delivering a governed, consistent layer of metrics, definitions, and logic used across systems.


The Universal Intelligence Layer ensures that terms like "customer," "revenue," or "active user" mean the same thing in Finance reports, Marketing dashboards, and Sales forecasts-no matter where the data lives or who's viewing it.

Why is a Universal Intelligence Layer Important?

In business, data is cyclical-old data gets interpreted, and new data creates new opportunities. Teams across departments and regions rely on shared data to access real-time insights and make timely decisions.

Here's how that might look inside a marketing agency:

  • Marketing tracks campaign performance across social media channels

  • Finance sets the next ad budget based on historical ROI

  • Operations compare metrics to find faster, cheaper tactics

  • Sales turn campaign results into executive-facing reports

  • Analytics drills deeper into surface trends and blind spots

However, each team processes data differently, using various tools, filters, and definitions.
The result? Incomplete insights get passed up the chain, and executives make decisions based on misleading information.

So, how does a Universal Intelligence Layer actually function behind the scenes? Let's break it down-step by step.

How the Universal Intelligence Layer Works

For example, Strategy Mosaic, our Universal Intelligence Layer, powers applications, BI tools, and AI agents with consistent data and security-without the need to construct custom data warehouses.


At the core of Strategy One's Universal Intelligence Layer is its Semantic Graph-a governed modeling engine that functions like a semantic layer but with greater flexibility, scale, and AI readiness.


Unlike a regular semantic layer that defines business terms for simple dashboarding, the Universal Intelligence Layer connects data from multiple sources, processing, modeling, and operationalizing it at scale.


STEP 1: Define Once, Reuse Everywhere

You start by defining core business metrics-like "active users," "customer churn," "pipeline value," or "retention rate." These definitions reside in a governed, central layer (powered by the Semantic Graph) rather than in spreadsheets or isolated BI tools.

This ensures every team operates with the same logic-no matter the platform.

STEP 2: Connect Data from Every Source

The Universal Intelligence Layer connects all your existing data systems-CRM, ERP, marketing platforms, HR tools, and cloud data warehouses-via 100+ out-of-the-box connectors.

This means no duplication. No migration. It's just a live, intelligent layer over your up-to-the-minute data.

STEP 3: Automatically Govern Access and Visibility

The Universal Layer applies role-based access controls, ensuring that executives, analysts, and front-line teams receive the appropriate views and permissions.

That means no duplicated dashboards, and no data leaks.

STEP 4: Deliver Trusted Insights-Everywhere

Every metric flows through the same logic-whether you're in Excel, BI dashboards, Slack, Outlook, browser tools, or custom apps. Even Strategy One's AI-powered assistant pulls from this governed layer.

Ask, "Which customers are at risk this quarter?" and get answers based on the same logic as your executive dashboard.


STEP 5: Track Every Change and Stay Compliant

Every change to a KPI, filter, or access rule is logged automatically-with full version control and audit trails delivered where and when you need them.

Critical for data governance, compliance, and long-term trust.

Now that you understand how the Universal Layer works let's explore the real-world value it brings to teams across your organization.

Benefits of a Universal Intelligence Layer

A Universal Layer doesn't just simplify reporting-it transforms how modern analytics and business intelligence teams operate. By aligning teams around a single source of truth, it ensures every decision is powered by accurate, consistent, and governed data.


1. Consistent Metrics Across Every Team

No more conflicting reports. Sales, Finance, HR, CS, and Marketing all pull from the same definitions-so terms like "churn" or "active user" never change from one meeting to the next.


2. Faster, More Confident Decisions

No delays. No bottlenecks. With real-time dashboards and AI-powered querying, your teams access actionable insights instantly-from Slack, Excel, Chrome, Teams, and more.


3. Governed Access and Auditability

Each user sees only what they should. Executives receive high-level rollups, analysts receive filtered views, and all activity is traceable. Everyone stays in sync without exposing sensitive data.


4. Reusable Logic for Scalable Insights

Define metrics once and reuse them across dashboards, business units, reports, and AI interfaces-without needing to rewrite or duplicate logic.


5. Seamless Integration Across Tools

From Salesforce to spreadsheets to custom BI dashboards-your metrics stay accurate, unified, and live.


The Universal Intelligence Layer delivers real-world results-and it's already being utilized across various industries to address genuine operational challenges.

Where is the Universal Intelligence Layer used?

From retail and banking to education and tech-a Universal Intelligence Layer helps business intelligence teams, decision-makers, and analysts drive clarity and scale across departments.

RETAIL

  • Standardize KPIs like "conversion rate" and "average order value" across store locations

  • Deliver governed data to merchandisers, store managers, and leadership

  • Align inventory, sales, and marketing performance in real-time

FINANCIAL SERVICES

  • Harmonize definitions across banking, insurance, and wealth platforms

  • Enable compliance-ready BI with auditable logic

  • Predict churn and customer risk using aligned revenue + behavioral data

EDUCATION

  • Track "student success" or "engagement" with consistent logic

  • Empower departments with self-service dashboards

  • Spot attrition trends and optimize funding strategies with real-time visibility

MANUFACTURING

  • Unify supply chain, production, and quality metrics

  • Deliver plant-to-boardroom insights from one governed source

  • Monitor throughput and vendor performance across systems

TECHNOLOGY

  • Align product, CS, and sales teams on shared usage definitions

  • Power AI/ML models with reusable KPI logic

  • Eliminate dashboard sprawl and duplicated logic across the organization

Final Thoughts

Like a trustworthy business dictionary, Strategy One's Universal Intelligence Layer ensures everyone in your organization accesses the same data, understands the same metrics, and gathers the same insights.


It injects consistency, clarity, and cutting-edge speed into your workflows-enabling faster, more confident decisions based on accurate, governed insights. It provides data security through role-based access-and complete visibility into every KPI, definition, and data layer.


Simply put, a business is only as good as its data-and the Universal Intelligence Layer ensures your data delivers clarity, trust, and results.

MicroStrategy Inc. published this content on June 11, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on June 11, 2025 at 09:33 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at support@pubt.io