Quantum computing, AI and blockchain are being explored as drivers for business transformation and intelligent change by leading organizations. Quantum computing has the potential to address the computational needs of modern technological industry development in areas such as drug development and manufacturing, where traditional and supercomputers aren't able to provide the simulations necessary to further enhance and deliver new developments to these industries. Over 60 countries have developed national AI strategies and policies to promote AI development and research and explore risk mitigation using AI. Also, distributed ledger technologies using blockchain are helping to secure data and transactions in areas like finance, government, energy, and transportation. Quantum computing, AI and blockchain naturally coincide, as quantum computing will help bring new levels of computational power and efficiency as data growth and accumulation for industry solutions are on the rise.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and big data aren't just something quants and scientists can love. CEOs, CFOs and everyone else are also taking a shine to these technology developments as well. They see it as their best hedge against those pesty disruptive competitors that keep shaking up their markets. Which is a shame, because the "big data" side of the equation has been around for more than a decade at this point. The technology exists and is affordable, but many organizations have been slow to adopt and adapt their corporate cultures to embrace data-driven decision-making.

Executives are looking to future-proof their organizations with key investments in emerging technologies. As we begin 2019, Fortune 1000 companies are accelerating their investment in big data and artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives, with an astonishing 91.6% of the executives indicating that their companies are accelerating the pace of their big data and AI investments. This is a principal finding of the NewVantage Partners 2019 Big Data and AI Executive Survey, which includes 65 Fortune 1000 or industry-leading organizations. C-level executives comprise 97.5% of survey participants, representing companies including American Express, Capital One, Ford Motor Co., General Motors, Johnson & Johnson, Mastercard, and MetLife. When we look at the main drivers for this focus on AI and big data investment, one clearly leads the pack: the fear of disruption.

It's no mystery that artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming a key enterprise technology. Recent research from Gartner, CIO Agenda 2019: Digital Maturity Reaches a Tipping Point, shows just how much ground AI has made over the past four years. Results showed that organizations across all industries use AI in a variety of applications, but struggle with acute talent shortages. The purpose of the Gartner study is to help CIOs and other IT leaders set and validate their management agendas. Gartner gathered data from more than 3,000 CIO respondents in 89 countries across major industries, representing $15 trillion in revenue and public-sector budgets and $284 billion in IT spending.

NewVantage Partners has released its 7th annual survey of senior corporate c-executives on the topics of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) business adoption. The survey was first conducted in 2012 in response to Fortune 1000 business and technology c-executives who sought to understand the potential impact of Big Data and its implications for leading companies. This year, c-executive decision-makers comprised 97.5% of the survey participants, with nearly 65 Fortune 1000 or industry leading firms among the participants. In recent years, Fortune 1000 companies have come to recognize that to compete with highly-agile data-driven competitors, mainstream firms must become more adept at leveraging their data assets – 91.6% of executives report that the pace of investment in Big Data and AI is increasing, while 87.8% report a greater urgency to invest. Yet, mainstream companies face challenges in becoming data-driven.