Talking AI CEO of Alteryx on Why AI Agents Need Real Business Logic
Jan 20, 2026
Andy McMillan, CEO of Alteryx and a former product leader, shares insights on how AI can empower data analysts rather than replace them. He discusses the critical role of business logic and how analysts can turn complex data into actionable insights. The conversation highlights the evolving nature of analyst tasks, the importance of data preparation, and AI's potential in automating workflows. McMillan emphasizes the need for tailored datasets and the balance between building in-house solutions versus purchasing software to meet specific business logic requirements.
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Analysts As The Business Knowledge Bridge
- Analysts hold business-specific knowledge that AI lacks and become essential to encode company rules into systems.
- Andy McMillan argues analysts enable AI to answer “what does this mean for my company?” correctly.
Sales Commission Calculator Example
- Andy gives a commissions example where analysts build a calculator that ChatGPT can query for exact pay answers.
- The analyst maintains it each quarter so AI returns the correct commission for real deals.
Prepare Curated Data For LLMs
- Build purpose-built data assets and calculators that encapsulate business rules before exposing them to LLMs.
- Let analysts own those assets so AI provides accurate, company-specific answers.
