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Enhancing Data Catalogs with ChatGPT

Apr 29, 2025

Lecture Notes: Creating Data Catalog Content with ChatGPT

Introduction

  • ChatGPT is being used in various ways to enhance data cataloging.
  • Data cataloging is evolving from a data dictionary to a knowledge base including:
    • Business process descriptions
    • Metric/KPI definitions
    • Common term definitions
    • Sharing of BI reports and building community expertise
  • The aim is to support data culture and literacy beyond just technical users.

Automating Knowledge Enrichment with ChatGPT

  • Goal: Automate enrichment of metadata in catalogs.

Term Glossaries

  • Importance of term glossaries for shared understanding in data culture.
  • Use ChatGPT for generating industry-specific glossary terms in a load-ready format.

Metric/KPIs

  • Approach for defining industry/org-specific metrics and KPIs using ChatGPT.
  • Example: Requesting common HR metrics, and further querying for calculations.
  • ChatGPT aids in generating starting points for reports and gap analysis.

Table and Column Descriptions

  • Challenge in maintaining descriptions due to volume of data assets.
  • Shift from relying solely on data stewards to a crowd-sourcing approach.
  • Use ChatGPT to describe columns and tables based on their names.
  • Provides a starting point for data consumers to refine descriptions.

SQL Explanations

  • Alation catalog benefits in writing, sharing, and publishing queries.
  • Difficulty in understanding queries for non-experts.
  • ChatGPT assists in describing queries, providing a better starting point for understanding.

Closed Loop Automation

  • ChatGPT can automate and scale descriptive metadata.
  • Potential to shift from relying on busy individuals to validating AI-provided content.
  • Testing thresholds for human validation based on critical data elements.
  • Vision of a closed-loop improvement process.

Conclusion

  • ChatGPT offers opportunities to enhance data management and governance.
  • Encouragement to experiment with ChatGPT for evolving data catalogs.
  • Contact details for further assistance and exploration.