First Look Insights: The 2026 State of Data Integrity and AI Readiness

AI is everywhere right now — but according to this year’s 2026 State of Data Integrity and AI Readiness report, most organizations aren’t as ready for it as they think. In this first-look panel discussion, we’ll break down the big themes emerging from the research and what they really mean for data and analytics teams heading into 2026.  

We’ll dig into the confidence-reality gap we saw across the board: leaders say their infrastructure, skills, and data are AI-ready… yet those same areas show up as their biggest roadblocks. We’ll discuss why data quality is becoming a full-blown crisis, how governance is quietly becoming the backbone of successful AI programs, and why context — from location intelligence to third-party enrichment — is quickly becoming a competitive differentiator. 

Other highlights we’ll explore together:

• Why AI excitement is high, but scaling it is still a struggle 
• The surprising disconnect between business alignment and actual KPI measurement 
• The talent gaps that matter most for real-world AI deployment 
• What organizations that are getting it right tend to have in common

If you want an honest, early read on what’s happening in the age of AI — not the hype, but the reality — pull up a chair. This conversation sets the stage for the year ahead.