A modern data context layer should essentially become a superset of what a semantic layer would traditionally cover. Sure, specific metric definitions can be hard-coded, but a modern context layer should include more to ensure agent autonomy – canonical entities, identity resolution, specific instructions to dissect tribal knowledge, proper governance guidance, and more.

A traditional semantic layer in the context of BI is great for specific metric definitions (like revenue, churn, ARPU). However, they are usually hand constructed by data teams using very specific syntax through a dedicated layer like LookML and are connected directly to a BI tool like Looker.