Server-side Apache Iceberg REST catalog attach in preview

Users can attach an external Apache Iceberg REST catalog to MotherDuck and query Iceberg tables server-side alongside MotherDuck and DuckLake data. Available in Preview.

https://motherduck.com/docs/about-motherduck/release-notes/#july-2-2026

SnowflakeSnowflake·Jul 2, 2026

VARIANT data type on Delta Direct tables (General availability)

With this release, Snowflake supports the VARIANT data type on Iceberg tables created from Delta table files in object storage (Delta Direct). When your Delta tables include variant columns, Snowflake maps them to the Snowflake VARIANT data type. You can query semi-structured data using VARIANT functions and dot or bracket notation.

GASQLApache IcebergSource

SnowflakeSnowflake Horizon Catalog·Jul 2, 2026

Metadata-based sensitive data classification recommendations (Public Preview)

Snowflake is rolling out metadata-based sensitive data classification recommendations in Snowsight to help you identify databases that are likely to contain sensitive data and enable classification with one click.

PreviewGovernanceSecuritySource

DatabricksLakeflow·Jul 2, 2026

Lakeflow Connect row filtering is now generally available

Row filtering in Lakeflow Connect is now generally available. Row filtering allows you to ingest only the rows you need by applying conditions similar to a SQL WHERE clause, improving performance and minimizing data duplication.

GASQLData integrationPerformanceSource

DatabricksAI/BI and Genie·Jul 2, 2026

Genie One enhancements and bug fixes

- Ontology snippets (Public Preview) : Genie One now supports ontology snippets. This feature is in Public Preview. Contact your Databricks account team to sign up. See Genie Ontology . Document edit timestamps : Documents now show the date and time they were last edited. See Documents in Genie One . Links in documents : Documents now support links.

PreviewBISource

DatabricksAI/BI and Genie·Jul 2, 2026

Genie Agent (formerly Genie Space) enhancements

- Agent mode is generally available : Agent mode in Genie Agents (formerly Genie Spaces) is now generally available. Agent mode uses multi-step reasoning to answer complex, exploratory questions with a report that includes citations, visualizations, and supporting tables. See Genie Agents concepts .

GAAI agentsSecurityBISource

MicrosoftAzure databases and analytics·Jul 2, 2026

[Launched] Generally available: Anthropic Claude Sonnet 5 on Azure Databricks

Azure Databricks now supports Anthropic Claude Sonnet 5 through Azure Databricks AI Model Serving. Claude Sonnet 5 is Anthropic's most agentic Sonnet model to date, delivering near-Opus-level intelligence with Sonnet's cost efficiency and speed. Designed

GAAI agentsLLMsPricingSource