Google is streamlining data science by integrating SQL, Python, and Apache Spark into a single notebook environment called Colab Enterprise. This move aims to eliminate the barriers between database/data warehouse environments and machine learning workbench.
The current workflow often requires users to switch between different tools, including exporting and loading data from a database to a Python notebook for machine learning tasks. Google is changing this by offering native SQL cells within Colab Enterprise notebooks, allowing users to explore data with SQL code directly in the environment. Additionally, interactive visualization cells are being introduced to generate editable charts, breaking the barrier between SQL, Python, and visualization.
Other vendors like Snowflake and Databricks are also trying to tackle this issue by building all-in-one analytics solutions. Snowflake has introduced a connector for Apache Spark, while Databricks brought SQL support to its data lake environment in 2020. Google’s Colab Enterprise push is an effort to provide a unified solution that simplifies the data science workflow and enhances productivity.
Source: https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/26/google_colab_enterprise_update