We have entered the "second machine age." The first machine age began with the industrial revolution, which was driven primarily by technology innovation. The ability to generate massive amounts of mechanical power made humans more productive. Where the steam engine started the industrial revolution, the second machine age has taken us by storm with computers and other digital advancements giving us the ability to understand and shape our environments. What the steam engine and its descendants did for muscle power, the Internet of Things (IoT), computers, digital technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) will do for brainpower.

Many successful companies today have found their own ways of connecting data, people, and ideas. What sets them apart is how they are taking advantage of an unstoppable force -- the increased fragmentation of data, computing, and usage. Undergoing this data-driven digital transformation -- leveraging data as a strategic asset to better inform business decisions -- is more popular than ever, and is therefore increasing the need for data literacy across an organization. But adjusting to this new reality can be challenging. With information chaos making headlines in recent months, the data landscape can be challenging to navigate, prompting an increased need for governance, security, and data quality.

Many successful companies today have found their own ways of connecting data, people and ideas. What sets them apart is how they are taking advantage of an unstoppable force -- the increased fragmentation of data, computing and usage. Undergoing this data-driven digital transformation -- leveraging data as a strategic asset to better inform business decisions -- is more popular than ever, and is therefore increasing the need for data literacy across an organization. But adjusting to this new reality can be challenging. With information chaos making headlines in 2017, the data landscape can be challenging to navigate, prompting an increased need for governance, security, and data quality.