Data Strategy stories
Poor data is costing firms millions, making record matching vital for cleaner datasets, better decisions and lower compliance risk.
The cash purchase will expand Publicis's data and AI ambitions, while giving LiveRamp shareholders a 29.8% premium and closing certainty.
Boards face higher compliance costs and AI project failures as data management shifts from housekeeping to a core enterprise risk in 2026-2027.
Better managed data can lift returns on big transformation programmes, with a Forrester study finding major efficiency gains and lower costs.
Pressure is mounting on firms to show returns, as 78% of organisations say AI projects have failed or stalled at pilot stage.
Better customer targeting and fraud detection are among the gains as firms turn incomplete records into usable intelligence.
DataIQ says six women feature in its North America top 10 for 2026 as data and AI chiefs shift from analytics to business decisions.
Financial firms could gain cleaner audit trails and more reliable AI outputs as a managed data layer links investment systems and workflows.
Data ownership is now the main concern for construction technology chiefs, as vendor lock-in and AI readiness threaten project delivery.
The programme aims to cut complexity for wealth clients as Iress modernises ageing platforms and adds AI to speed delivery and reduce costs.
Poor data can make AI agents scale errors at speed, leaving customer-facing systems unreliable and potentially non-compliant.
The deal could help customers analyse SAP and non-SAP data together, as businesses struggle to make artificial intelligence useful across fragmented systems.
Despite near-universal enthusiasm, only 27% of organisations say their data and workflows are connected enough to support AI success.
The retailer says its three-month overhaul will cut integration costs and help it scale marketplaces and AI plans as legacy systems weigh on growth.
Database outages are pushing more retailers and healthcare groups to hire external specialists, driving more than 50 new WellData contracts.
Business groups welcomed the Budget's productivity push, but warned small firms and agencies still lack the skills to deliver it.
CIOs face rising risk as agentic AI moves into production faster than most data platforms can govern, retrieve and act on reliably.
Canberra agencies are under pressure to modernise data systems as Altis adds former Deloitte specialist director Craig Chapman to lead its ACT push.
The new hires are set to support Acquirz’s expansion after buying Marketscan, with AI and campaign expertise to help scale client services.
Privacy rules and browser changes are forcing Australian businesses to rebuild marketing around consented customer records before performance drops further.
