What is Looker?
Looker is Google Cloud's business intelligence platform. Its semantic layer sits directly above a cloud data warehouse and translates complex SQL into governed business metrics, defined once in LookML. Google says this gives analysts and AI agents a single source of truth, so metric definitions stay consistent across dashboards.
The platform has several uses. Self-service exploration lets users build visualizations and run deep dives, with Gemini-powered natural-language features. Looker Embedded uses Looker APIs and LookML to move from governed models to embedded data products inside other applications. Google also positions Looker as moving teams from static dashboards to governed, AI-driven action.
Looker (Google Cloud core) is priced in two parts. Platform pricing covers running an instance, including administration, integrations and semantic modeling. User pricing licenses individual users by type and permissions. There are three platform editions, and the Standard edition targets small organizations or teams with fewer than 50 users. Exact prices are on the Looker pricing page.
Key capabilities
- A semantic layer defined once in LookML
- Governed business metrics above a cloud data warehouse
- Self-service data exploration and visualizations
- Looker Embedded using Looker APIs and LookML
- Platform and per-user licensing in three platform editions
Where Looker fits
- LookML modeling The semantic layer sits above your cloud data warehouse and translates complex SQL into governed business metrics defined once in LookML.
- Governed dashboards and self-service exploration Users can blend ad hoc CSVs and local files alongside governed LookML models. Dashboard Agents add AI-powered summaries inside BI canvases.
- Conversational analytics Conversational Analytics APIs let you build conversational experiences backed by Looker Explores inside customer-facing applications.
- Embedded analytics Looker APIs and LookML take you from governed models to production-ready embedded data products.
- Platform administration and integrations Looker on Google Cloud offers IAM single sign-on, Private Service Connect networking, customer-managed encryption keys, native BigQuery integration and unified billing.
- Cloud cost management Prebuilt models unify billing data across Google Cloud, AWS and Azure into a single FinOps view.
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