Council Post: Master Data Eats AI For Breakfast

Many have emphasized the need for data for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms, and metaphors from "data is the new oil" to "data is the new sun" further exacerbate the dire need for better data. However, one aspect of data that is often not explicitly mentioned in these circumstances is the role of master data and how it fundamentally impacts the quality of data that is driving the ML algorithms. In the spirit of paying tribute to management guru Peter Drucker, who's credited with the saying, "culture eats strategy for breakfast," this article explores: According to The DAMA Guide to the Data Management Body of Knowledge, master data represents "data about the business entities that provide context for business transactions." Simply put, for any enterprise, it is the customers whom they sell to, the brands they market, the products they sell, the consumers who use their products, the materials used to make the products, the plants that manufacture their products, the suppliers that supply the materials, the employees who build the products directly or indirectly, and the list goes on. Why is there a lack of awareness in enterprises about master data?