EDITOR ’ S QUESTION

HOW CAN ORGANISATIONS REFINE THEIR DATA STRATEGIES TO ENSURE AI ADOPTION TRANSLATES INTO MEANINGFUL BUSINESS SUCCESS ?

The comprehensive study of over 2,000 IT leaders uncovered a significant rise in Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) maturity within large organisations , with 85 % of European respondents implementing AI strategies and 42 % actively monetising the technology .

Despite this progress , the survey highlights a critical gap : monetisation efforts are yet to drive fundamental business success .

Additionally , 57 % acknowledge their IT infrastructure must be strategically positioned to ensure effective deployments . The phenomenon of Data Gravity , where data accumulates in certain infrastructure corners , exacerbates these issues , making it difficult to move data due to network bandwidth constraints , application dependencies and performance concerns .

Colin McLean , Chief Revenue Officer at Digital Realty , said : “ We ’ re witnessing a decisive shift towards using AI to deliver tangible organisational value . As seen in this survey , achieving this requires digital infrastructure capable of managing high data volumes , supporting AI workloads , and providing real-time intelligence .

“ A well-crafted data strategy is essential for reaching AI maturity and real business outcomes . This strategy will likely include high-density colocation and robust , on-demand , interconnection , as part of the digital infrastructure requirements ,” added McLean .

Recognising the critical need to align data location with AI strategy is pivotal . AI is being deployed across more locations within organisations , increasing data creation and necessitating readily available , stable data for AI processing , particularly at the Edge .

Only 27 % of European enterprises consider their current AI use transformative , underscoring the need for greater investment in digital infrastructure to unlock AI ’ s full potential .

Nearly all businesses in Europe have integrated AI to some extent , with a growing recognition of the importance of robust data strategies . Two-thirds ( 65 %) of respondents in Europe identify these strategies as essential for effectively managing and leveraging data assets to execute AI initiatives successfully .

However , significant challenges remain . Many European enterprises lack the digital infrastructure necessary for data and AI success . Chief among these challenges is data storage , with 57 % of European enterprises reporting insufficient storage capacity to execute their strategies .

Nearly three-quarters ( 72 %) of respondents in Europe agree that prioritising data location is vital to addressing key challenges , including storage , processing , interconnection , compliance and infrastructure suitability .

A shortage of computational power is also a growing concern . Over half ( 53 %) of enterprises in Europe lack the necessary computational power to run AI processing where required and to scale with demand . Organisational roadblocks , such as insufficient leadership knowledge or support for data-based AI strategies , further hinder progress .

Business and IT leaders are adjusting budgets to manage growing data volumes and unlock AI ’ s competitive advantages . Yet only 14 % are currently using AI to create a competitive edge , indicating a pressing need for organisations to rethink their data strategies to realise a substantial return on AI investments .

As AI adoption surges , we ask data experts , Caroline Carruthers , CEO , Carruthers and Jackson ; Andrea Gozzi , Professor at Open Institute of Technology ( OPIT ) for the BSc & MSc in Digital Business ; and Amol Vedak , Director , Percipere , how AI tools should be implemented into data strategies for efficient and effective operations .

30 INTELLIGENTCIO EUROPE www . intelligentcio . com