Unlocking AI Insights in Power BI: A Step-by-Step Guide

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Enabling AI Insights in Power BI Services
3. Creating a Workspace in Power BI Services
4. Connecting to Data and Previewing
5. Transforming Data in Query Editor
6. Adding AI Insights to Data
   1. Tagging Images
   2. Extracting Key Phrases
   3. Detecting Language
   4. Scoring Sentiment
7. Handling Warnings in Query Editor
8. Saving the Data Flow
9. Importing Data Flow to Power BI Desktop
10. Further AI Insights in Power BI Desktop

Introduction

In this article, we will explore the process of working with cognitive services and AI insights in Power BI services and Power BI Desktop. We will discuss how to enable the AI and machine learning capabilities in Power BI services, create a workspace, connect to data, transform the data using the query editor, and add AI insights to the data. Additionally, we will cover handling warnings in the query editor, saving the data flow, and importing it into Power BI Desktop to further enhance our AI insights.

Enabling AI Insights in Power BI Services

To enable AI insights in Power BI services, you need to have a premium license and a dedicated capacity workspace. These features are only available with a premium license. By creating a dedicated capacity workspace, you can unlock the AI and machine learning capabilities in Power BI services.

Creating a Workspace in Power BI Services

To create a workspace in Power BI services, navigate to the workspace section and click on "New." Give your workspace a name, such as "Cognitive Services Workspace." Make sure the dedicated capacity option is turned on if you have a premium license. Save your workspace, and you will see a small diamond icon indicating that it is a premium content workspace.

Connecting to Data and Previewing

Next, you can connect to your data by selecting the "New" option in the data flow section of your workspace. You can choose to get data from various sources, such as Azure Blob storage. Provide the URL of the data source and preview the data to ensure it is correctly connected.

Transforming Data in Query Editor

Once the data is connected, you can transform it using the query editor, which is similar to the one in Power BI Desktop. In the query editor, you have the capability to add AI insights to your data. By clicking on the AI insight icon, you can access various cognitive intelligence functions, including tagging images, extracting key phrases, detecting language, and scoring sentiment.

Adding AI Insights to Data

Let's focus on scoring sentiment analysis as an example. By selecting the score sentiment analysis option in the AI insights menu, you can choose the column in your data that you want to analyze. Once applied, a new column will be added, providing the sentiment analysis score based on the original comment column. It is essential to check for any warnings in the query editor and fix any untyped columns.

Handling Warnings in Query Editor

In the query editor, you may encounter warnings related to untyped columns. These warnings can be resolved by fixing the data type of the column. By changing it to decimal, you can eliminate the warning and ensure accurate sentiment analysis.

Saving the Data Flow

After adding the necessary AI insights, you can save the data flow. Give it a descriptive name, such as "Review Cognitive Services Flow." You can also add a description if needed. Save the data flow, and it will be validated, returning the data flow that can be used for further analysis.

Importing Data Flow to Power BI Desktop

To import the data flow into Power BI Desktop, open Power BI Desktop and select "Get Data." Choose the option for Power BI data flows and connect it to the data flow you created with AI insights. You will see a preview of the data, including the added AI insight columns. You can load the data directly or choose to transform it further by invoking additional AI insights.

Further AI Insights in Power BI Desktop

In Power BI Desktop, you have access to more AI insights. By selecting the data flow and opening it in the query editor, you can explore additional options such as text analytics, vision, and machine learning. You can apply these insights to analyze your imported data further.

Conclusion

By leveraging the AI insights in Power BI services and Power BI Desktop, you can enhance your data analysis capabilities. Enabling AI insights, creating workspaces, connecting to data, transforming data, and adding AI insights all contribute to gaining valuable insights and making informed decisions. Remember to save your data flow, import it into Power BI Desktop, and explore the various AI insights available to take your analysis to the next level.

Pros:

• Enables the use of AI insights in data analysis
• Enhances the quality and depth of Data Insights
• Supports decision-making processes with accurate sentiment analysis and more

Cons:

• Requires a premium license and dedicated capacity workspace for AI insights
• May encounter warnings or errors in the query editor that require troubleshooting

Highlights

• Enabling AI insights in Power BI services
• Creating dedicated capacity workspaces
• Connecting to data and previewing
• Transforming data using the query editor
• Adding AI insights to data with scoring sentiment analysis
• Handling warnings in the query editor for untyped columns
• Saving and importing data flows to Power BI Desktop
• Exploring additional AI insights in Power BI Desktop

FAQ

Q: Can I use AI insights without a premium license in Power BI services? A: No, AI insights and machine learning capabilities require a premium license and dedicated capacity workspace.

Q: How can I fix warnings related to untyped columns in the query editor? A: You can fix warnings by changing the data type of the untyped column to the appropriate type, such as decimal.

Q: What are some of the additional AI insights available in Power BI Desktop? A: In Power BI Desktop, you can access text analytics, vision, and machine learning AI insights, among others.

Q: How does adding AI insights enhance data analysis in Power BI? A: Adding AI insights provides valuable information such as sentiment analysis, key phrase extraction, and language detection, improving the depth and accuracy of data analysis.