Data Literacy, AI Democratization Top Trends in Data & AI/Analytics for 2024

• 04/30/24

An "AI for all" chart shows what type of non-technical users in organizations have been leveraging generative AI to draw insights from proprietary data.

The blurring of data and AI roles was one of the top five trends in the Google report, which also listed:

• GenAI will speed the delivery of insights across organizations
• AI innovation will hinge on strong data governance
• Operational data will unlock GenAI potential for enterprise apps
• 2024 will be the year of rapid data platform modernization

Gartner, on the other hand, listed three more trends along with the above "empowered workforce" trend:

• Betting the Business: As AI continues to revolutionize industries on a strategic level, D&A leaders must demonstrate a bet-the-business skill set on AI and earn trust to lead the AI strategy within the enterprise.
• Managed Complexity: Many D&A systems are delicate, and their redundancies can cause chaos and added costs. "Leading organizations are working to turn this chaos into something they can manage - complexity. Complexity is, by definition, not an easy place to be, but acknowledging it gives a realistic understanding of the dynamic environment and helps the D&A teams in taking appropriate actions," said Ramakrishnan.
• Be Trusted: With the increasing accessibility and efficiency of GenAI, there is a challenge in navigating a world where data reliability is constantly questioned. Lack of trust within organizations, concerns about the value and quality of data, and regulations around AI are leading to a deluge of distrust.

Another news release published by Gartner explored how organizations are evolving their data and analytics operating models because of AI technologies.

"Responding to the rapid evolution of D&A and AI technologies, CDAOs are wasting no time in making changes to their operating model," said Alan D. Duncan, distinguished VP analyst at the firm. CDAOs are doing it to support data-driven innovation and accelerate organizational agility, with data governance at the core."

"When asked about changes CDAOs need to make to their D&A operating model to be fit for current and future purpose, 38% of CDAOs said that their D&A architecture will be overhauled over the next 12-18 months," Gartner said. "Twenty-nine percent of respondents said they will revamp how they manage data assets and adopt and apply governance policies, practices and standards."

The annual Gartner Chief Data & Analytics Officer (CDAO) survey was conducted from September through November 2023 among 479 chief data and analytics officers, chief data officers (CDO) and chief analytics officers (CAO) across the world. For the Google Cloud report, the company's Customer Intelligence team conducted a global research study on Data & AI Trends with 410 data decision-makers in December 2023 and January 2024.