The purpose of a data pipeline in analytics is to automate and streamline the process of collecting, processing, and transforming data from various sources into a format suitable for analysis. It ensures that data flows continuously and efficiently from data sources, like databases or APIs, to data warehouses or analytical tools. By establishing a reliable data pipeline, organizations can make timely and informed decisions based on real-time insights. It also aids in improving data governance, ensuring data quality, and maintaining consistency across analytics processes, ultimately enhancing the decision-making capabilities of businesses.