Cloudflare unveils Town Lake data platform with AI agent Skipper

Cloudflare built a data platform called Town Lake and an AI agent named Skipper to manage and optimize access to their vast and complex data resources. The platform addresses issues of data sprawl, disjointed systems, and governance challenges by providing a unified SQL interface and automating data querying in natural language. Key components include:

1. **Town Lake**: A data lakehouse architecture that integrates data from multiple sources for seamless querying using Apache Trino.

2. **DataHub**: A metadata catalog that helps users understand the structure and lineage of data.

3. **Skipper**: An AI-powered agent that translates user queries from plain English to SQL, providing auditable, fast responses while ensuring data governance.

The platform improves efficiency for various Cloudflare departments, including billing, business intelligence, and customer support, enabling faster insights and reducing reliance on manual queries. Additionally, the platform emphasizes security, with strict access controls and automatic PII detection.