Google recently announced that the company is changing the name of its data reporting tool, known as Looker Studio, back to Data Studio. In October of 2022, Google changed the name from Data Studio to Looker Studio after acquiring Looker. This change alone is welcome; I loved calling it “Data Studio” and hated calling it “Looker Studio.” But beyond the name reversion, more changes are coming that signal a shift from just a “reporting tool” into more of a Business Intelligence (BI) ecosystem entry point.
While Data Studio will still create dashboards and carry the same functionality in those regards, it is now increasingly tied to warehouse-first setups (aka BigQuery). So while it can still be used as a standalone reporting tool, it’s clearly shifting toward becoming a front-end for centralized, cloud-based data.
New Enterprise Features
With new features come new opportunities to take your money. Google also introduced a paid, er, “Pro,” version of Data Studio, which adds things like team workspaces, asset management, version control, and more enterprise-focused governance features. In other words, it’s no longer just a free tool you spin up dashboards in; it’s something teams can standardize and operate within more formally.
Integrate Seamlessly with Google Cloud & AI Tools
You’ll now be able to integrate with Google Cloud and AI on a much deeper level, making it closer to a true BI tool (and not just lightweight dashboards). This includes tighter native connections to BigQuery, improved data blending across sources, and better performance when working with large datasets. Expanded connectors are coming as well, both from Google and third-party providers, which should make it easier to centralize data that previously lived in silos.
Updated Interface
Google is also rolling out a more modern interface, improved charting and visualization options, and more flexible controls for customizing reports. There’s also a push toward more advanced capabilities – things like calculated fields that are easier to manage, reusable data models, and early signs of predictive and AI-assisted insights (though that part still feels a bit “coming soon”).
Name Change
For one, I think we’re all pleased that we can call it Data Studio again after four years of answering “what the heck is Looker Studio” to coworkers and clients. But outside of just the branding shift, we’re seeing Google try to position Data Studio as a more serious layer in its data stack, tying it closely to BigQuery and broader data warehousing strategies, while layering in more enterprise-level features and AI capabilities.
Looker Studio’s Shift to an Enterprise Model
Google Data Studio will still be free and usable, but it’s worth keeping an eye on as it slowly nudges toward becoming a more paid, enterprise-oriented solution. That said, as someone who primarily uses it for building Google Ads dashboards, I’m interested to see how the improvements to the interface, speed, and visualization options actually play out.
