The Evolving Role of Chief Data Officers in AI-Driven Data Management

Data management solutions transform CDO roles - SiliconANGLE

From data governance to AI: theCUBE analysts discuss challenges and solutions in data management The rise of sophisticated data management solutions is transforming the role of chief data officers as businesses navigate a landscape increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence and complex data governance challenges. Despite the rapid advancement of technology, fundamental issues such as data accessibility, security and organizational processes remain persistent hurdles. As companies strive to address these challenges, the need for seamless collaboration among various C-suite executives becomes ever more critical. Additionally, emerging technologies and innovative companies are set to disrupt traditional data platforms, potentially altering the industry's power dynamics and driving a new era of data management. "I think the CDO role continues to emerge as a more important role," said Dave Vellante (pictured, right), chief analyst at theCUBE Research. "The whole idea of bringing the chief data and analytics officer together, that's clearly something that's happened over the last several years, and now it's going beyond that with AI." Vellante spoke with fellow analysts Paul Gillan (left) and Sanjeev Mohan (center) at the CDOIQ Symposium, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media's livestreaming studio. They discussed the evolving role of chief data officers, the integration of AI, data governance challenges and emerging technologies disrupting traditional platforms. A key takeaway from this year's CDOIQ Symposium is the increasing intertwining of the CDO role with AI and analytics. The fusion of these responsibilities has introduced new challenges, particularly in the areas of data governance and security. The CDO must now navigate a landscape fraught with AI confusion and governance issues, making the role more crucial yet more challenging than ever, according to Vellante. "I think it's just getting messier and messier with the governance challenges, the AI confusion that's coming into the marketplace, the risks associated with that," he said. "It's an increasingly important role, but a harder one." Collaboration among C-suite executives is essential for addressing these challenges. The CDO cannot operate in isolation and must work closely with the chief information security officer, chief technology officer and chief information officer to ensure cohesive data management and security. This collaborative approach is necessary to tackle the persistent problem businesses face: obtaining trustworthy data as quickly as it is produced, Mohan pointed out. "People are confused, 'Who should I go talk to?' The businesses still have [the] same problem. Their problem hasn't changed," he said. "What is their problem? How do I get access to data as fast as it's produced in a trust worthy manner? That has not changed. Instead, we have created a mass of different organizations and roles and processes. I think this confusion needs to be tamed at some point." Emerging technologies and companies are poised to disrupt traditional data platforms. The rise of new data management solutions and the increasing importance of AI-native processes suggest that future industry leaders will be those who can effectively integrate these innovations into their operations. This potential for disruption is reminiscent of past shifts in the industry, where new technologies have redefined power dynamics and operational strategies, according to Gillin. "If you look at history, platform shifts always presage power shifts," he said. "It was the PC that changed everything, the network changed, the internet changed things. If you believe what people are saying -- gen AI is the next big platform shift or AI is the next big platform shift -- then likely the industry structure will be disrupted by it." Here's the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE's and theCUBE Research's coverage of the CDOIQ Symposium:

Chief data officer: Leading charge in AI and data transformation - SiliconANGLE

From back office to boardroom: Chief data officers lead the charge in data-driven transformation The chief data officer is increasingly taking center stage in the fast-paced realm of data management and artificial intelligence. The CDO role has evolved from behind-the-scenes functions to key leadership positions, driving crucial data initiatives and ensuring top-notch data quality for informed decision-making. As AI becomes more embedded in business processes, the need for high-quality data has become vital for the success of expensive projects. This transformation is redefining how companies tackle data governance, analytics and AI integration, underscoring the indispensable role of chief data officers in today's digital landscape, according to said Richard Wang (pictured, left), founder and director of CDO Education Inc. and founder and general chair of the annual CDOIQ Symposium. "There are some companies [where the] CDO reports to CIO. And fortunately, and unfortunately, they still report to CIO because it is the easiest place," Wang said. "Some smart companies, CDO reports to CEO. Ultimately, this will sort out over time. Time is the best author. It would define a good story. In the end, I see it's a pendulum starting from the CIO, going from centralization to decentralization and then back to recentralization ... similar here for CDO." Wang spoke with theCUBE Research's Dave Vellante (right) and Sanjeev Mohan (center) at the CDOIQ Symposium, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media's livestreaming studio. They discussed the evolution of chief data officers and the critical role they play in data quality, AI integration and driving data-centric business strategies. The journey of the chief data officer role and the emphasis on data quality began in the late 1980s. Initially, data quality management was a niche concern, often sidelined due to budget constraints and a lack of understanding of its strategic importance. This changed when visionary leaders recognized data as a critical asset, according to Mohan. "When you're going to make that much investment, you better get good results," he said. "Data quality has bubbled up to be the blocker in this space, but it's not just data quality of yesteryears. It is data quality on unstructured data as well." The role of the chief data officer has evolved alongside these developments. Initially, focused on risk and governance, chief data officers today are also responsible for driving revenue through data-driven insights. The importance of data quality has been amplified with the advent of AI, where the success of AI projects hinges on the integrity and quality of data being used. Unstructured data, in particular, poses new challenges, requiring innovative approaches to ensure its quality and utility. "This is a reason why data quality has become a complex topic now, because in structured data, we can say is it duplicate data, is it missing data, is a format correct, all of that metrics, but for unstructured, the metrics are undefined," Mohan said. The contemporary landscape of data leadership is marked by diverse roles and responsibilities. Chief data officers are now integral to both defensive and offensive data strategies, according to Wang. They ensure high-quality data for compliance and risk management while also leveraging data to generate business value. This dual role underscores the complexity and importance of the chief data officer position in modern organizations. "There are actually two sides of CDO function," Wang said. "One is called defensive side, producing high-quality data. There's another offensive side [that] generate revenues. The moment you start to create some good data, the CEO would ask you to generate revenue. Thirty percent of company revenue could be on the shoulder of a CDO. It requires different kinds of CDOs with different kinds of skill sets." Here's the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE's and theCUBE Research's coverage of the CDOIQ Symposium:

Chief data officer role evolution in focus amid AI evolution - SiliconANGLE

Thoughts on CDO role evolution amid an evolving landscape of AI Generative artificial intelligence has upended every responsibility in the technology world and is making a big impact on chief data officer role evolution. Where the first chief data officers were just involved in areas such as data quality, they're now embracing AI. Some might yearn for a world in which one executive is tasked with data analytics, AI and company transformation. But some organizations might have one chief data officer, another chief AI officer and a CIO, all of whom may not always play well together, according to Mario Faria (pictured), Chief Data and AI Officer Program professor at Carnegie Mellon University. "What we try to teach in our program is ... how the role should be, the main responsibilities, how the leaders should be putting a plan together that's driving companies on their mission to reduce costs or gain more money or improve productivity and, most important, have a less risky approach to AI," he said. Faria spoke with theCUBE Research's Dave Vellante and Sanjeev Mohan at the CDOIQ Symposium, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media's livestreaming studio. They discussed chief data officer role evolution and the integration of AI into data strategies. In this new world, it's not yet clear whether an AI leader should also be a technical leader. Being technical helps, but it's not mandatory, according to Faria. "The best chief data officers and CIOs that I have met in my life, they did not have a technical background. They were able to understand," he said. "They were able to put together an organization with skills that would help the company to achieve their results." Culture is a critical subject to keep in mind. It's important to seriously consider the good, the bad and the ugly of building a data culture, Faria added. "You cannot build a data culture unless you understand the current moment of the culture of your company. Are the leaders prepared for a change? Do you need to do an extensive program?" Faria asked. "How change management will take a role on that transformation?" If things are not handled properly, change can bite back given the fact that companies are dealing with human beings. Even those at the very top of the ladder are not guaranteed success, Faria pointed out. "Even if a CEO sometimes tries to push down, he or she might not be able to do that because a lot of things are so intrinsic there -- a lot of old behaviors," he said. "I like to say that culture is what you do when the doors are closed and the lights are off." There's also a number of philosophies these days around whether or not a company should have a chief AI officer. It depends, according to Faria. "Are they already doing the right things with data, good quality processes, good governance? Are they exploring analytics at scale?" he asked. "If so, maybe they're ready to take the jump and appoint someone being responsible for AI. Maybe they're not doing the basic things, so they should be doing a lot of groundwork, the foundation that will allow them to explore AI further." Here's the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE's and theCUBE Research's coverage of the CDOIQ Symposium: