Companies Are Accelerating AI Investments, But Problems Persist

ARMONK, N.Y., November 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A new global study conducted by the IBM (NYSE: IBM) Institute for Business Value reveals that companies' data strategies are rapidly evolving to scale artificial intelligence (AI) usage. The survey results indicate that this transformation, led by Chief Data Officers (CDOs), shows that data in many organizations is insufficient to unlock the full potential of AI.

In the study, which involved 1,700 CDOs worldwide, a widening gap between AI ambition and data readiness is emphasized. While 81% of participating CDOs report that their organizations' data strategy is aligned with technology roadmaps and infrastructure investments -- up from 52% in 2023 -- only 26% feel confident that their data is sufficient to support new AI-driven revenue streams. Barriers such as accessibility, completeness, integrity, accuracy, and consistency are preventing organizations from utilizing enterprise data to maximum efficiency.

IBM's Product Management and Chief Data Officer Ed Lovely stated, "Large-scale enterprise AI is a real target, but success depends on organizations supporting the process with the right data." Lovely added, "Organizations that accomplish this correctly will not only enhance their AI capabilities but will also accelerate their operations, speed up decision-making processes, adapt more quickly to changes, and gain a competitive advantage."

Key findings from the study include:

• The CDO role is shifting from data steward to business strategist, as proving the value of data is a tough challenge.
• 92% of participants indicate they need to focus on business outcomes to achieve success.
• However, only about one-third of participants believe they can clearly convey how data supports business outcomes.
• Using data for competitive advantage is now the top priority for CDOs, while governance and security have fallen behind in core responsibilities.
• 84% of survey participants expressed that unique data products provide significant competitive advantages.

The gap between AI and data is evident; 81% of survey participants prioritized investments to accelerate AI capabilities and initiatives. However, only 26% are confident that their organizations can use unstructured data to deliver business value.

To close this gap, 81% of CDOs indicated that integrating AI with data is more effective. 80% reported that they began developing various data sets; however, 79% acknowledged they are still in the early stages of this process.

While a data-driven culture is seen as critical, skill gaps are slowing progress. 82% of survey participants indicated that data is wasted when people do not have access to it. Furthermore, 80% stated that data democratization accelerates their organizations.

Still, while 74% of participants said they actively promote a data management culture among employees, developing a data-driven culture remains a strategic challenge. 47% identified attracting, developing, and retaining talent with advanced data skills as the biggest challenge, up from 32% in 2023.

77% expressed difficulty in filling key data roles, while only 53% stated that their hiring and retention efforts provided the necessary skills and experience. This figure was 75% in 2024.