Integrating data with Data Integration Agent

Converse with Data Integration Agent in the IBM watsonx platform to build, run, and manage data flows by using natural language.

Data Integration Agent is available in the IBM Cloud Toronto region only.

Prerequisite

Before you build data flows with Data Integration Agent, complete the following prerequisite:

Set up a project
Set up a project with connections and data assets that the agent can explore. See Setting up a project for an agent.

Requesting data from the agent

Describe your data requirements in natural language, and Data Integration Agent helps you plan, build, validate, and run flows.

  1. On the Assets tab of your project, click New asset > Build data flows using natural language.

  2. Place your cursor in the prompt box.

  3. Select one of the suggested requests, or enter your own request in natural language.

    For example:

    • What data assets are in my project?
    • Give me a preview of the data in asset <asset-name>
    • I need to build a DataStage flow that reads from <source> and writes to <target>. Can you help me set it up?
    • I need to load the CSV file <file-name> into Db2. What's the best approach?

Finding assets for your request

You can find assets in your project by asking the agent or by using the asset browser.

Discovering assets with the agent

Ask the agent to help you find assets in the project.

For example, you can ask the agent to:

  • List the data assets in the project.
  • List the platform connections stored in the Platform assets catalog.
  • List the project-level connections.
  • Show the tables that are available through a connection.

After you identify the assets that you want to use, include them in your request.

Browsing assets

Use the asset browser to find and select assets instead of entering asset names manually.

With the asset browser, you can explore:

  • Data assets in the project.
  • Project-level connections.
  • Tables that are available through a project-level connection.

To browse assets:

  1. Open the asset browser in one of the following ways:

    • Click the Menu icon next to the prompt box, and then click Asset browser.
    • In the prompt box, type a forward slash (/), and then click Asset browser.

  2. Browse or search for a project-level connection or data asset, and then select an asset to view its details.

  3. Click Add.

  4. Enter your request.

    The selected assets provide context for the request.

    For example:

    • List the top 10 customers in this table
    • Join the selected tables by order ID
    • Calculate total sales for each region in the file

Viewing column information

The method for viewing columns depends on the asset type:

  • Connected data assets - Use the agent or the asset browser to view column names.
  • File data assets - Open the asset preview to view column names and sample data. The agent and asset browser do not display columns for file data assets.

Selecting a skill for your request

Data Integration Agent automatically accesses all available skills to respond to your request. However, you can select a specific skill to focus the agent on a particular task or to help ensure that the agent uses the most relevant skill for your request.

Selecting a skill is optional. Select a skill when:

  • Your request might apply to multiple skills and you want the agent to use the correct one.
  • You want to learn what a skill can do.

To select a skill:

  1. Open the skills viewer in one of the following ways:

    • Click the Menu icon next to the prompt box, and then click Skills viewer.
    • In the prompt box, type a forward slash (/), and then click Skills viewer.

  2. Select one or more skills.

  3. Click Select.

  4. Enter your request.

    The agent uses the selected skills to process your request.

Accessing chat history

Open a saved chat to continue a previous conversation.

To access your chat history, click the Open chat history icon Open chat history icon.

From chat history, you can complete the following tasks:

  • Open a saved chat by selecting it from the list.
  • Pin a chat to the top of the list.
  • Rename a chat.
  • Export a chat as a JSON file.
  • Delete a chat.
  • Start a new conversation by clicking the new chat icon New chat icon.