Microsoft Has Joined Apache Ossie Industry Group

The tech giant is contributing tools to the open-source initiative to improve semantic data interoperability.

Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a geometric industrial conduit junction in navy, cream, and orange, representing technical data standards. — Microsoft has joined the Apache Ossie industry group, contributing new data conversion tools to improve semantic interoperability across business intelligence platforms. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Microsoft has joined the Apache Ossie industry group, an organization focused on a vendor-neutral standard for metrics. The company also contributed a new bidirectional converter for Power BI and Fabric to the project.

Why it matters

Microsoft aims to reduce platform switching friction by moving away from closed data formats. Consistent semantic definitions are also intended to improve the accuracy of AI agents.

Apache Ossie utilizes a vendor-neutral YAML and JSON format to manage metrics across platforms. Microsoft developed a bidirectional converter that maps tables and relationships for its Power BI and Fabric ecosystems.

The players

Microsoft

A multinational technology corporation based in Redmond that develops software, consumer electronics, and personal computers.

Apache Ossie

An industry group that maintains an Apache-licensed standard for metrics using vendor-neutral YAML and JSON formats.

Databricks

A data and AI company that provides a cloud-based platform for processing large-scale data sets.

The details

The integration follows Microsoft's launch of Fabric IQ, which allows for governed data and business logic sharing between partners. This shift marks a reversal from earlier this year when the company restricted Databricks from integrating its semantic layer into Power BI.

Earlier this year, Microsoft blocked Databricks from Power BI integration.
Last week, the new converter was added to the Apache Ossie project.
Tuesday, Microsoft showcased its new Fabric IQ platform.

The Tech Race

Microsoft's alignment with the Apache Ossie open-source metrics standard signals a strategic pivot toward open interoperability for its enterprise data tools. This shift positions the company to compete more effectively by ensuring its AI agents remain accurate through shared, standardized business logic.

Enterprise users will see improved data sharing between Power BI and other partner applications through Fabric IQ. These changes aim to simplify complex workflows by removing the technical hurdles previously caused by closed proprietary formats.

The takeaway

Adopting open-source standards for data metrics helps companies avoid the long-term costs of vendor lock-in. Businesses should evaluate how their existing data architectures can integrate with these neutral formats to ensure future-proof interoperability.