Yellowfin 9.18 Launch: Empowering Reliable Conversational Analytics

On August 20, 2026, Yellowfin, a leading software company with over two decades of experience in developing data analysis solutions, announced the general availability of its business intelligence and embedded analytics platform, Yellowfin version 9.18. This latest release marks a significant milestone for organizations and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) looking to harness the capabilities of cutting-edge AI models along with a verifiable data analysis process. The aim is to address the long-standing challenge of unreliable insights traditionally tied to AI applications in analytics.

Unifying AI-Driven Features into Conversational Analytics

In the 9.18 update, Yellowfin has successfully integrated all AI-driven functionalities into a single interface termed Conversational Analytics. This allows users to engage with data using natural language queries. For instance, a user can ask, "Show me the monthly sales data for the last three quarters in Texas,” prompting Yellowfin to either generate a singular report or create a comprehensive, interactive data narrative. The platform also supports follow-up questions, enabling users to dive deeper into their data explorations. Additionally, it maintains complete chat history, preserves context, manages token usage, and supports background processing for detailed analysis.

By leveraging existing governance rules within organizations, Yellowfin 9.18 generates reliable reporting and insights while utilizing AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, which are already integrated into the workflow.

Control Over AI Utilization

One of the essential features of Yellowfin 9.18 is the user control over how AI utilizes data for report and dashboard development. Organizations can leverage AI while adhering to their data governance and semantic layer guidelines. Users can also set thresholds for the frequency with which AI processes detailed analyses, effectively managing the costs associated with AI utilization.

Insights from Leadership

Brad Scarff, Yellowfin's Chief Technology Officer, commented on the release, emphasizing its strategic direction regarding AI’s role in the analytics platform. He stated:

"The challenges in AI-powered analytics lie in creating reports that CEOs and CFOs can confidently sign their names to for approval on Monday mornings. With Yellowfin 9.18, users can utilize AI to generate everything from single reports to complex data stories, with the ability to audit every step of the process. This mitigates the risks associated with AI hallucinations while providing rich insights.”

Ethan Brown, Yellowfin's General Manager, added:

"Many of the features introduced in this release have emerged from discussions with our customers and partners about the appropriate integration of AI within their existing workflows and data governance standards, particularly in heavily regulated industries. Listening thoughtfully to these voices drives our mission to continue creating a data analytics platform that users can truly trust."

About Yellowfin

Founded in 2014, Yellowfin has over 3 million end users globally, assisting organizations in making quicker decisions through its data analysis platform. Catering to both embedded BI and enterprise BI use cases, Yellowfin boasts advanced data security and governance features. The platform actively identifies trends and anomalies using AI, answering natural language queries while transforming data into interactive stories and live reports. This empowers decision-makers to utilize data effectively, ensuring trust in their analytics.

For more details, visit the Yellowfin website at yellowfin.co.jp.

Company Details

- Company Name: Yellowfin Japan, Inc.
- Head Office: 5F KANDA SQUARE GATE, 1-14-8 Uchikanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Established: October 31, 2014