Too many organisations still have no data strategy

Organisations are on an upward trajectory toward data maturity but achieving a balanced and sustainable data strategy requires addressing persistent gaps in the critical areas of literacy, governance, and ethical considerations, according to new research published today by global data consultancy, Carruthers and Jackson.

The Data Maturity Index (DMI), an annual poll of hundreds of global data leaders, reveals that over a quarter (26%) of organisations still operate without a formal data strategy, and 39% report little or no governance framework. While these figures show a marginal improvement over previous years, they underscore persistent gaps in foundational data management practices. The rapid adoption of AI is further complicating the data landscape, as in just 12 months, the share of organisations not using AI has plummeted by almost 20%. Today, just 7% of organisations now report no AI usage, a significant drop from 26% last year.

This rapid integration of AI into enterprise processes brings both opportunities and challenges. Although 44% of organisations have seen a moderate rise in ethical discussions around AI, only 13% have formalised these conversations into structured policies. Simultaneously, while 53% of organisations report an increase in AI usage, more than half (57%) admit that most employees still lack data literacy.

“An AI Paradox has been created, as the use of AI tools in organisations has surged in the last year, yet employees lack the data literacy to use them effectively, as their fundamental understanding of data remains largely unchanged from last year. Overcoming this requires tailored, scalable training and AI-focused upskilling,” said Caroline Carruthers, CEO, Carruthers and Jackson. “Simultaneously, the adoption of AI means data needs to be cleaner, and teams need to raise their data standards, otherwise the transformative benefits of new technology simply won't be realised. Encouragingly, more leaders are recognising the need for flexible, department-specific governance to drive data maturity.”

The research finds that there is a growing shift away from one-size-fits-all frameworks toward tailored, department-specific data governance approaches. With 37% of data leaders reporting the adoption of multiple governance frameworks, a rise from 31% in 2023, organisations are recognising the need to balance flexibility with overarching alignment to achieve data maturity.

“We are seeing the data landscape begin to evolve, as data leaders are grappling with greater complexity and a deeper appreciation of the requirement for taking a tailored approach to data management. We’re also seeing the role of data leader develop too, rather than having a CDO who knows everything, we’re seeing the emergence of data lineage experts, data governance experts, data observability specialists and so on,” concludes Carruthers.