Why Excel Still Matters in the Age of AI
By Ezra Muinde on Jan 25, 2026 - 10 min read
Ubuntu Analytiq insightI know you can ask GPT nearly everything but just stay with me on this piece. Because sometimes, the best lessons don't come from asking a machine, they come from reflection, experience, and stories we share.
Excel Teaches Thinking
Before dashboards and AI agents, professionals need to understand rows, columns, formulas, assumptions, errors, and business definitions. Excel makes that thinking visible.
AI Does Not Replace Data Fluency
AI can summarize and generate ideas, but it cannot rescue weak questions, unclear metrics, or bad data habits. The person using AI still needs judgment.
The Practical Path
A strong learner can move from Excel to Power BI, SQL, Python, and AI with more confidence because they already understand how business data behaves.
Next step
Turn the idea into practice through the Academy, Mentorship, Projects, or Datasets workflow.