Which OpenAI Model Should You Use for Power BI Workflows?
A Practical Guide for Real-Time Value and Future Gains
If you’re using Power BI, there’s a high chance you’ve already asked ChatGPT to help with DAX, M code, or visual design tips. But as OpenAI continues to evolve its suite of AI models—from GPT-4o to the new Codex agent—it raises a crucial question:
Which OpenAI model is best for which BI task—and when should you use it?
In this post, we break down the real-time use cases that Power BI users can benefit from today and preview the next wave of automation with OpenAI’s Codex.
Section 1: Power BI Use Cases with ChatGPT Today
These are real tasks you can automate right now, without any API calls or special setup—just ChatGPT (Pro or Team) and Power BI:
Model Selection Guide
Task Recommended Model Why
DAX Formula Generation GPT-4.1 Enhanced instruction- following capabilities for accurate formula creation.
Power Query M Scripting GPT-4.1 Mini Efficient and cost-effective for generating M scripts with improved performance.
API Integration with Python GPT-4.1 Superior coding abilities for seamless API integrations.
Dashboard Storytelling GPT-4.5 Offers more natural and context-aware responses for narrative generation.
Forecasting & Simulation o4-mini Designed for complex reasoning tasks, ideal for simulations and forecasting.
Visual Data Analysis o4-mini-high Enhanced capabilities for processing and interpreting visual data.
Code Debugging & Codex (codex-1) Specialized in software Optimization engineering tasks, including code debugging and optimization.
Access and Availability
GPT-4.1 and GPT-4.1 Mini: Available to all ChatGPT users, including free-tier users.
GPT-4.5: Accessible through ChatGPT Pro and API for advanced use cases.
o4-mini and o4-mini-high: Released to all ChatGPT users, with o4-mini-high offering enhanced features for paid users.
Codex (codex-1): Currently in research preview, available to ChatGPT Pro, Team, and Enterprise users.
Performance Highlights
GPT-4.1: Improved coding and instruction-following capabilities with a larger context window.
GPT-4.5: Enhanced natural interactions and reduced hallucinations, making it suitable for complex tasks.
o4-mini: Offers enhanced reasoning abilities, particularly in STEM fields.
Codex (codex-1): Excels in software engineering tasks, including writing code, fixing bugs, and running tests.
Implementation Tips
Prompt Engineering: Craft clear and specific prompts to guide the AI model effectively.
Model Selection: Choose the model that aligns best with your task requirements and resource availability.
Performance Monitoring: Continuously monitor the outputs and adjust your approach as needed to optimize results.
Section 2: The Codex Preview – What’s Coming Next
OpenAI recently released a research preview of Codex, a powerful new coding agent designed to handle advanced software engineering tasks—and it has strong implications for Power BI developers who manage complex backend logic.
What is Codex?
Codex is built on codex-1, a variant of OpenAI’s o3 reasoning model fine-tuned for software engineering. According to OpenAI:
Codex produces cleaner, more accurate code than earlier models.
It runs iterative testing on its own code until it passes.
Codex works in a cloud-based sandbox—you don’t need to run it locally.
It integrates with GitHub to preload your repositories into its environment.
It can run multiple tasks simultaneously: write code, debug, answer questions, run tests, and more.
Tasks range from simple feature builds to codebase insights, typically within 1–30 minutes.
“Codex works on its own in the cloud while you continue using your browser or Power BI Desktop.” — OpenAI
How Codex Could Enhance Power BI Workflows
Imagine a Power BI environment where:
Codex writes your Python scripts to connect to REST APIs.
It builds and tests DAX formulas for edge cases.
It assists in automated deployment of Power BI datasets via REST APIs.
It continuously monitors and improves Power Query transformations.
Think of Codex as your BI automation agent—running in the background, handling the technical parts while you focus on the strategy.
Key Potential Use Cases in BI:
Complex DAX modeling with live testing
Automated deployment and performance testing of dashboards
Preloading custom visual configurations
Debugging M and DAX scripts with version control
Download three examples below with a free subscription to Gen AI + Data Viz below:
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