# Snowflake AI

Snowflake AI refers to the artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities integrated into Snowflake Inc.'s cloud-based data platform, enabling users to build, deploy, and manage AI workloads directly on their data. It includes services like Cortex and Snowflake Intelligence for generative AI and natural language querying.

Snowflake AI encompasses the artificial intelligence and machine learning features embedded within the Snowflake Data Cloud, a cloud-based platform developed by Snowflake Inc. These capabilities allow organizations to perform data analysis, build AI-powered applications, and query data using natural language, all within a unified platform that runs on major public cloud infrastructure. The platform separates compute from storage, enabling scalable, on-demand analytics with minimal latency.

Snowflake Inc. is an American company founded in San Mateo, California, and headquartered in Menlo Park. It operates its platform on [Amazon Web Services](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/amazon-web-services), [Microsoft Azure](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/azure), and [Google Cloud Platform](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/google-cloud). The AI features are designed to integrate with existing data warehousing, data lakes, and data engineering workflows, making advanced AI accessible to a broad range of users.

## History

Snowflake Inc. was founded on July 23, 2012, in San Mateo, California, by Benoît Dageville, Thierry Cruanes, and Marcin Żukowski. Dageville and Cruanes previously worked as data architects at Oracle Corporation, while Żukowski co-founded Vectorwise. Mike Speiser, a venture capitalist at Sutter Hill Ventures, which provided early funding, served as the first CEO. In June 2014, Bob Muglia, formerly of Microsoft, became CEO, and in October 2014, the company emerged from stealth mode with 80 organizations using its services.

The company launched its first product, a cloud data warehouse, in June 2015. Frank Slootman, formerly CEO of ServiceNow, took over as CEO in May 2019. In June 2019, Snowflake launched the Snowflake Data Exchange, and in December 2020, it added Knoema as a data provider in the Snowflake Data Marketplace. In May 2021, the company became a distributed company with a principal executive office in Bozeman, Montana.

On February 28, 2024, Frank Slootman retired as CEO and was replaced by Sridhar Ramaswamy, cofounder of Neeva. In February 2026, Snowflake reported Q4 fiscal 2026 product revenue of $1.23 billion, up 30% year-over-year, with full-year product revenue reaching $4.72 billion. Remaining performance obligations totaled $9.77 billion, a 42% increase, reflecting strong demand for AI infrastructure. The company reported over 9,100 accounts using Snowflake AI features.

## AI Products and Services

Snowflake AI includes a range of products designed to bring [AI](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/artificial-intelligence) and [machine learning](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/machine-learning) capabilities directly to the data platform. In 2024, Snowflake launched Cortex, a set of [generative AI](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/generative-ai) services embedded into the platform. Cortex provides access to [large language models](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/large-language-model), vector search, and model deployment capabilities, allowing users to build AI-powered applications using SQL or Python. This service enables organizations to leverage [deep learning](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/deep-learning) and [neural networks](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/neural-network) without needing to manage underlying infrastructure.

In July 2026, Snowflake introduced Snowflake Intelligence, an enterprise AI assistant that allows users to query structured and unstructured organizational data using natural language. The service incorporates agentic AI capabilities with governance, security, and Model Context Protocol (MCP) support, enabling organizations to securely connect AI agents to enterprise data and applications. This builds on earlier developments, including Snowpark, introduced in 2020, which allows developers to write data pipelines using Java, Scala, and Python.

## Platform Integration

Snowflake AI is deeply integrated with the broader Data Cloud platform. The platform supports workloads such as [machine learning](https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/machine-learning), streaming analytics, business intelligence, and unstructured data processing, with integrations for tools like Tableau, Power BI, and Sigma Computing. In 2021, Snowflake launched Unistore, a hybrid workload combining transactional and analytical operations, and in 2023, it introduced the Native App Framework for building and monetizing applications within a customer's Snowflake account.

In June 2025, Snowflake introduced Snowflake Openflow, a managed data integration service built on Apache NiFi that enables organizations to ingest and move structured and unstructured data between enterprise applications, databases, streaming platforms, and the Snowflake AI Data Cloud. The service supports both Snowflake-managed and bring-your-own-cloud (BYOC) deployments and provides enterprise governance, observability, and security features. These integrations allow AI models to access real-time data, enhancing the relevance and accuracy of AI outputs.

## Acquisitions and Growth

Snowflake has expanded its AI capabilities through strategic acquisitions. In October 2022, the company acquired a 5% stake in advanced TV advertising firm OpenAP. In May 2023, Snowflake agreed to acquire privacy-focused search startup Neeva for $185 million. In June 2025, Snowflake announced the acquisition of Crunchy Data, a provider of cloud-based PostgreSQL services, for approximately $250 million. Later that year, Snowflake relocated its headquarters back to California, in Menlo Park. In January 2026, Snowflake announced an agreement to acquire Observe, an AI-powered observability company.

The company went public in September 2020 via an initial public offering, raising $3.4 billion in one of the largest software IPOs and the largest to double on its first day of trading. This growth has been fueled by significant funding rounds, including $263 million in January 2018 at a $1.5 billion valuation, and $450 million in October 2018 led by Sequoia Capital at a $3.5 billion valuation.

## Security and Data Breach

In 2024, hundreds of Snowflake customers were targeted in a mass customer data theft and extortion campaign by the ShinyHunters hacking group. Data breaches affected Ticketmaster, Advance Auto Parts, Santander Bank, Neiman Marcus, LendingTree, AT&T, Pure Storage, and Bausch Health. In May 2024, Snowflake collaborated with Mandiant in an investigation that found no evidence of Snowflake's environment being breached, but rather customer credentials being compromised.

Two men involved in the hacking conspiracy were part of the ShinyHunters group: Connor Riley Moucka, also known as Waifu/Catist, 25, of Kitchener, Ontario, and John Erin Binns, also known as IRDev. Moucka was arrested on October 30, 2024, and a Washington state court issued an indictment on charges of conspiracy, computer fraud and abuse, extortion, and aggravated identity theft. In August 2026, Moucka pleaded guilty in U.S. federal court to computer fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy charges. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 27, 2026, with the aggravated identity theft charge carrying a mandatory minimum two-year prison term.

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Source: https://www.wikiprompt.org/wiki/snowflake-ai
License: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
Last updated: 2026-10-07T16:32:40.019393+00:00