Why Quality HAS To Be The Foundation Of All Data

FOR AI to be a success and bring the benefits that organisations are seeking, the quality of the data is key.

“Garbage in, garbage out as the saying goes,” Leon Gordon, founder and chief executive of data analytics consultancy Onyx Data, told the forum audience. “Data when controlled is great. When it is uncontrolled, it becomes a nuisance.”

Poor-quality data can be costly to a business, he added, in terms of loss of sales revenue, reduced efficiency, a risk to compliance requirements, missed business opportunities through poor analysis and damage to an organisation’s reputation.

“We have to ensure that quality is the foundation of data,” said Leon, who was a professional footballer with Wycombe Wanderers before embarking on his IT career.

“Ensure that data is timely, accurate, robust and can be updated in the future. Get your data into a quality manner ready for reporting, protect data and keep it safe.

“When you have that in place you can look at utilising AI. AI is the brain behind the data. We use AI to support billions of data and this is why we really need to leverage AI.”

Onyx is a partner with Microsoft and Leon is a contributor to research and advisory firm Gartner and the American business magazine Forbes. He spoke of the fear among employees that AI will take over their jobs in the future.

Surveys show that the list of sectors most fearful of AI is headed by marketing, HR, finance and accounting, management and IT. Initial willingness among staff to change with AI has reduced markedly, from 74% in 2016 to 44% last year.

“We have all heard the horror stories… AI is going to take over everything and we are all going to be out of a job. There is anxiety among employees that AI will replace them in their job role.”

Yet at executive level, the benefits of AI are being embraced. PWC’s 28th annual global survey of chief executives showed that 56% believe that AI will improve efficiency and a third anticipate enhanced revenue and profitability.

Leon urged the forum to step out. He explained the ‘Four As’ process in preparing to bring AI into an organisation: Assess – Align – Agree – Activate.

“It is about creating Artificial Intelligence to drive the future of your organisation, all based on architecture, people culture and investment,” he said. “When this comes together, it starts to bring together benefits that we will want using this technology.”

Data quality isn’t just a technical box to tick – it’s the multiplier that turns AI from hype into measurable ROI.

If you’re ready to unlock that advantage, book a complimentary 30-minute Data Quality Diagnostic with our experts and walk away with a personalised roadmap to make your next AI initiative run on premium-grade data.