88% of Businesses Adopt Artificial Intelligence Amidst Key Challenges

Cloudera, a hybrid data and AI platforms firm, has unveiled its latest survey findings, “The State of Enterprise AI and Modern Data Architecture,” highlighting the growing prevalence of AI in global enterprises. Based on feedback from 600 IT leaders across the U.S., EMEA, and APAC regions, the study sheds light on the current landscape of AI adoption, its applications, and the associated challenges.

The survey reveals that 88% of businesses are now leveraging AI in various capacities. However, many organizations are still grappling with inadequate data infrastructure and a shortage of skilled personnel to fully capitalize on AI’s potential.

In the Middle East, 61% of executives anticipate productivity boosts exceeding 10% from AI and Generative AI (GenAI) this year. This reflects a regional shift from initial experimentation to large-scale AI implementations, driven by the area’s tech-centric economy. Karim Azar, Cloudera’s Regional Vice President for the Middle East & Turkey, notes, “The Middle East’s rapid transition from experimental AI to scalable applications promises significant productivity gains and economic growth, potentially contributing up to $150 billion to the GCC’s GDP.”

Despite AI’s transformative capabilities in enhancing business operations and decision-making, significant barriers remain. The survey identifies key challenges: security and compliance risks (74%), insufficient training or talent (38%), and high costs (26%) as major obstacles.

A notable survey finding highlights that 94% of respondents trust their data, yet 55% find accessing it akin to undergoing a root canal. Issues such as contradictory datasets, inadequate data governance, and data overload underscore the need for a modern data architecture that ensures secure, accessible, and reliable data management.

Top AI applications reported include automating IT processes, developing chatbots for customer support, and using analytics for improved decision-making. AI is enhancing customer experiences through improved security, automated support, predictive services, and chatbots. It’s also boosting operational efficiency beyond IT departments, impacting customer service and marketing. Additionally, AI facilitates faster, more reliable analytics, crucial for informed business decisions.

Abhas Ricky, Cloudera’s Chief Strategy Officer, emphasizes the importance of managing data where it resides. “The quality of data, its distribution across infrastructures, and documentation inefficiencies contribute to the challenges identified in our survey. Bringing AI models to data, rather than vice versa, is proving to be a more cost-effective and efficient approach.”

Cloudera, with over 25 exabytes of data under management, continues to lead in providing hybrid open data lakehouse solutions, helping businesses organize and utilize their data effectively for strategic decision-making.