The Case for a Semantic Layer
Name
2026_0501_SemanticLayer_LefebvreWixomLegnerVandermeulenBeath.pdf
Size
302.02 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
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Author(s)
Lefebvre, Hippolyte
Wixom, Barbara H.
Legner, Christine
van der Meulen, Nick
Beath, Cynthia M.
Date Issued
May 21, 2026
Publisher
Cambridge, Mass.: Center for Information Systems Research, Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Citation
Lefebvre, Hippolyte, Barbara H. Wixom, Christine Legner, Nick van der Meulen, and Cynthia M. Beath. “The Case for a Semantic Layer.” MIT CISR Research Briefing Volume XXVI, no. 5 (May 2026). https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/174892.
Series/Report no.
MIT CISR Research Briefing, Vol. XXVI, No. 5
Abstract
A semantic layer is a system of technologies and techniques that organizes and maintains a consistent and unified representation of data from various sources that is interpretable by humans and machines. MIT CISR research indicates that leaders are feeling pressure to increase their investments in semantic technologies and techniques that can store metadata and instantaneously make data assets more useful to business users, AI models, and AI agents. This briefing describes a target state for a semantic layer and offers three next steps that leaders can take to ensure their investments in semantic technologies and techniques pay off.
Subjects
Data monetization
Acceptable Data Use
Decision rights/governance
Information Technologies
Data, AI, and Analytics
Terms of Use
CC BY-NC 4.0 (Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International)
Persistent DSpace Link
