Databricks launches Predictive AI Functions for forecasting and anomaly detection in SQL

Databricks releases Predictive AI Functions in Beta, adding four SQL-native functions: ai_top_drivers, ai_detect_anomalies, ai_predict_value, and ai_predict_class, alongside an improved ai_forecast.

The ai_forecast function is powered by a transformer-based time series foundation model and requires no tuning, and it can account for holidays and external covariates.

Databricks says ai_forecast outperforms other cloud data warehouse providers on the fev-bench benchmark, and ai_top_drivers is available in Genie now, with other functions coming soon.