Dive Brief:
- Data silos are widening the trench between IT teams’ reality and their goals, according to an Ivanti report published last week. The software company surveyed more than 1,200 IT and cybersecurity pros.
- More than half of tech pros said security and IT data are siloed within their organization. Data silos affect efficiency, collaboration, visibility, security and the organization’s ability to execute broader strategy, according to the survey.
- Data blockages hinder functions across the enterprise. More than 3 in 5 respondents blamed silos for slow security responses and 2 in 5 reported IT inefficiencies. Nearly 30% of IT pros said data deficiencies prevented them from using AI tools effectively
Dive Insight:
In the enterprise hunt to unlock efficiency, data dilemmas stand in the way of progress. Plus, businesses eyeing AI projects have an even greater sense of urgency to strengthen practices and set up governance.
“Data ownership tends to be this hot potato topic, but it’s inevitable now with AI,” said Stijn Christiaens, co-founder and chief data citizen at Collibra. Nearly two-thirds of decision-makers said no one in their organization truly grasps data collection or access, according to a SoftServe report from earlier this year.
Analysts told CIO Dive that organizations need a comprehensive data strategy, requiring leaders to think through data governance, quality, performance, lineage and diversity. Without a firm foundation, enterprises risk ignoring a key differentiator in broader AI efforts.
Most enterprise data strategies currently fall short even as pressure mounts to move AI projects into production.
“The investment in data [needed for generative AI] is non-trivial,” Rita Sallam, distinguished VP analyst at Gartner, said during a webinar in March.
In the face of economic uncertainty, enterprises will need to reckon how to prioritize projects and investments as businesses turn their attention to cost saving measures and build flexibility into plans. Optimizing IT costs is the top strategic priority for more than 2 in 5 IT pros this year, according to the Ivanti survey.
Christiaens said businesses might succumb to the common pitfall of thinking of innovation in opposition to governance, especially as enterprises feel pressure from potential tariffs and other volatility.
“It’s a false dichotomy,” Christiaens said. “You can’t have innovation without ownership, without accountability.”
