Getting Serious About The Human Side Of Data

NewVantage Partners just released its 7th annual executive survey on big data and artificial intelligence in large organizations. If you're pulling for better data, analytics, and AI within companies, there is much to encourage you in this year's survey. Spending levels are also increasing; 55% of companies spend over $50M on big data and AI, and 21% spend over half a billion dollars on them. These executives are also aware of the need for defensive approaches to data; over 90% are focused on both cybersecurity and data privacy, and 56% have a focus on "data ethics"--not at all on the radar screens of businesses a decade ago. All of this would be great news if not for the fact that in this survey--and in virtually all the previous ones--companies are making far more progress on the technological front of data use than the human one. Less than a third of the organizations surveyed have either a "data-driven organization" or a "data culture."