> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://lightdash-refactor-full-audit-reorg.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# AI agents

> Ask questions in plain language and get governed answers, charts, and dashboards built from the metrics in your Lightdash semantic layer.

<Info>
  AI agents are available as an add-on for all plans. [View pricing](https://www.lightdash.com/pricing)
</Info>

Lightdash AI agents let your team ask questions in natural language and get answers built from your semantic layer — the saved dashboards, metrics, dimensions, joins, and descriptions you've already defined. An agent picks the relevant models and metrics, builds and runs the query with the right filters, and returns the result as the chart, table, or summary that fits the question. Because every answer runs through the semantic layer, it respects the same project permissions and user attributes as the rest of Lightdash.

You can run agents in the Lightdash app or in Slack, scope each one to a domain with tags, and improve them over time with verified answers, evaluations, and knowledge documents. The pages below cover setup, day-to-day use, governance, and the features that make agents more accurate.

<Note>
  Looking for [**Autopilot**](/agents/autopilot)? Autopilot is a separate, admin-only agent that runs on a schedule to keep your project clean — fixing broken charts, flagging stale content, and suggesting new ones. It does not build charts or dashboards from user questions like the conversational agents described here.
</Note>

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## Choosing your AI surface

Lightdash exposes several AI surfaces, and the right one depends on **who is asking**, **what they're trying to do**, and **how much governance you need**. They share one foundation: the **Lightdash semantic layer** — governed metrics, joins, descriptions, permissions, project context, verified answers, and evaluations. Investing there pays off no matter which surface a user picks.

### Decision guide

Pick the first item that matches what you're trying to do:

* **Let business users ask governed questions in natural language** — use [AI agents in the app](/agents/use-ai-agents), or [in Slack](/integrations/slack) when the answer belongs in a team conversation.
* **Query Lightdash from Claude, Cursor, Codex, ChatGPT, or a custom agent** — use the [Lightdash MCP server](/agents/lightdash-mcp).
* **Give your agents tools from Notion, Linear, Confluence, or other services** — connect [external MCP servers](/agents/connect-external-mcp-servers).
* **Teach your AI coding tool Lightdash concepts and YAML syntax** — add the [Docs MCP](/agents/lightdash-mcp#lightdash-docs-mcp) and install [agent skills](/workflow/install-agent-skills).
* **Build an interactive, shareable app from a prompt** — use [data apps](/data-apps).
* **Create or edit saved charts and dashboards conversationally** — use [content editing](/agents/enable-content-tools). *(Beta)*
* **Make bulk, reviewable dashboard changes** — use [dashboards as code](/workflow/content-as-code) with `lightdash download` and `lightdash upload`.
* **Change a metric, dimension, join, or description** — edit dbt or Lightdash YAML through Git, or use [AI writeback](/agents/ai-writeback). *(Beta)*
* **Fix something the agent got wrong** — improve descriptions, [AI hints](/semantic-layer/writing-descriptions#layer-ai-hints-on-top-of-descriptions), project context, [verified answers](/agents/verified-answers), [evaluations](/agents/create-evaluation-suites), or [Reviews](/agents/reviews) findings. *(Reviews is Beta.)*

### Compare the surfaces

| Surface                  | Best for                                                | Typical user                   | Governance model                                             | Learn more                                                                                           |
| ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| AI agents (app & Slack)  | Governed self-serve questions and visualizations        | Business user                  | Agent tag scope, project permissions, user attributes        | [Using AI agents](/agents/use-ai-agents), [Slack](/integrations/slack)                               |
| Lightdash MCP server     | Querying Lightdash from external AI clients             | Power user, developer, analyst | OAuth, project permissions, user attributes                  | [Lightdash MCP server](/agents/lightdash-mcp)                                                        |
| External MCP servers     | Giving your agents tools from outside services          | Agent builder                  | Per-project config, per-user or shared OAuth                 | [External MCP servers](/agents/connect-external-mcp-servers)                                         |
| Docs MCP + agent skills  | Giving coding agents Lightdash concept and YAML context | Developer with an AI IDE       | Public docs, local to the developer                          | [Docs MCP](/agents/lightdash-mcp#lightdash-docs-mcp), [Agent skills](/workflow/install-agent-skills) |
| Data apps                | Interactive, shareable apps generated from a prompt     | Analyst, app builder           | Project role and space access; queries run through Lightdash | [Data apps](/data-apps)                                                                              |
| Content editing *(Beta)* | Conversational chart and dashboard creation and edits   | Analyst, agent operator        | Enabled per agent, scoped by agent permissions               | [Content tools](/agents/enable-content-tools)                                                        |
| Dashboards as code       | Bulk, reviewable, version-controlled dashboard changes  | Developer, analytics engineer  | Git review, previews, validation                             | [Dashboards as code](/workflow/content-as-code)                                                      |
| AI writeback *(Beta)*    | Agent-proposed changes to dbt / Lightdash YAML          | Analytics engineer             | Feature flag, Git review, dbt / Lightdash validation         | [AI writeback](/agents/ai-writeback)                                                                 |

A few principles hold across all of them: keep agents **focused** — several domain-scoped agents beat one project-wide agent; treat **raw SQL as an escape hatch** and fix the semantic layer when routine questions need it; and never upload sensitive material as knowledge documents unless everyone who can use the agent is allowed to see it. For the full treatment, see [Effective analytics with agents](/agents/effective-analytics-with-agents).
