Skip to main content
Login
      • Discover
        • For Executives
          • For Startups
            • Lakehouse Architecture
              • Mosaic Research
              • Customers
                • Featured Stories
                  • See All Customers
                  • Partners
                    • Cloud Providers
                      Databricks on AWS, Azure, GCP, and SAP
                      • Consulting & System Integrators
                        Experts to build, deploy and migrate to Databricks
                        • Technology Partners
                          Connect your existing tools to your Lakehouse
                          • C&SI Partner Program
                            Build, deploy or migrate to the Lakehouse
                            • Data Partners
                              Access the ecosystem of data consumers
                              • Partner Solutions
                                Find custom industry and migration solutions
                                • Built on Databricks
                                  Build, market and grow your business
                                • Databricks Platform
                                  • Platform Overview
                                    A unified platform for data, analytics and AI
                                    • Data Management
                                      Data reliability, security and performance
                                      • Sharing
                                        An open, secure, zero-copy sharing for all data
                                        • Data Warehousing
                                          Serverless data warehouse for SQL analytics
                                          • Governance
                                            Unified governance for all data, analytics and AI assets
                                            • Real-Time Analytics
                                              Real-time analytics, AI and applications made simple
                                              • Artificial Intelligence
                                                Build and deploy ML and GenAI applications
                                                • Data Engineering
                                                  ETL and orchestration for batch and streaming data
                                                  • Business Intelligence
                                                    Intelligent analytics for real-world data
                                                    • Data Science
                                                      Collaborative data science at scale
                                                    • Integrations and Data
                                                      • Marketplace
                                                        Open marketplace for data, analytics and AI
                                                        • IDE Integrations
                                                          Build on the Lakehouse in your favorite IDE
                                                          • Partner Connect
                                                            Discover and integrate with the Databricks ecosystem
                                                          • Pricing
                                                            • Databricks Pricing
                                                              Explore product pricing, DBUs and more
                                                              • Cost Calculator
                                                                Estimate your compute costs on any cloud
                                                              • Open Source
                                                                • Open Source Technologies
                                                                  Learn more about the innovations behind the platform
                                                                • Databricks for Industries
                                                                  • Communications
                                                                    • Media and Entertainment
                                                                      • Financial Services
                                                                        • Public Sector
                                                                          • Healthcare & Life Sciences
                                                                            • Retail
                                                                              • Manufacturing
                                                                                • See All Industries
                                                                                • Cross Industry Solutions
                                                                                  • Cybersecurity
                                                                                    • Marketing
                                                                                    • Migration & Deployment
                                                                                      • Data Migration
                                                                                        • Professional Services
                                                                                        • Solution Accelerators
                                                                                          • Explore Accelerators
                                                                                            Move faster toward outcomes that matter
                                                                                          • Training and Certification
                                                                                            • Learning Overview
                                                                                              Hub for training, certification, events and more
                                                                                              • Training Overview
                                                                                                Discover curriculum tailored to your needs
                                                                                                • Databricks Academy
                                                                                                  Sign in to the Databricks learning platform
                                                                                                  • Certification
                                                                                                    Gain recognition and differentiation
                                                                                                    • University Alliance
                                                                                                      Want to teach Databricks? See how.
                                                                                                    • Events
                                                                                                      • Data + AI Summit
                                                                                                        • Data + AI World Tour
                                                                                                          • Data Intelligence Days
                                                                                                            • Event Calendar
                                                                                                            • Blog and Podcasts
                                                                                                              • Databricks Blog
                                                                                                                Explore news, product announcements, and more
                                                                                                                • Databricks Mosaic Research Blog
                                                                                                                  Discover the latest in our Gen AI research
                                                                                                                  • Data Brew Podcast
                                                                                                                    Let’s talk data!
                                                                                                                    • Champions of Data + AI Podcast
                                                                                                                      Insights from data leaders powering innovation
                                                                                                                    • Get Help
                                                                                                                      • Customer Support
                                                                                                                        • Documentation
                                                                                                                          • Community
                                                                                                                          • Dive Deep
                                                                                                                            • Resource Center
                                                                                                                              • Demo Center
                                                                                                                              • Company
                                                                                                                                • Who We Are
                                                                                                                                  • Our Team
                                                                                                                                    • Databricks Ventures
                                                                                                                                      • Contact Us
                                                                                                                                      • Careers
                                                                                                                                        • Working at Databricks
                                                                                                                                          • Open Jobs
                                                                                                                                          • Press
                                                                                                                                            • Awards and Recognition
                                                                                                                                              • Newsroom
                                                                                                                                              • Security and Trust
                                                                                                                                                • Security and Trust
                                                                                                                                            • Data and AI summit

                                                                                                                                              JUNE 9–12 | SAN FRANCISCO

                                                                                                                                              Data + AI Summit is almost here — don’t miss the chance to join us in San Francisco!

                                                                                                                                              REGISTER
                                                                                                                                            • Ready to get started?
                                                                                                                                            • Get a Demo
                                                                                                                                            Data and AI summit

                                                                                                                                            JUNE 9–12 | SAN FRANCISCO

                                                                                                                                            Data + AI Summit is almost here — don’t miss the chance to join us in San Francisco!

                                                                                                                                            REGISTER
                                                                                                                                            • Login
                                                                                                                                            • Try Databricks
                                                                                                                                            1. Blog
                                                                                                                                            2. /
                                                                                                                                              Culture
                                                                                                                                            3. /
                                                                                                                                              Article

                                                                                                                                            Bridging the AI Adoption Gap: Industry Trends and Insights from Women Leaders in Data & AI

                                                                                                                                            Bridging the AI Adoption Gap: Industry Trends and Insights from Women Leaders in Data & AI

                                                                                                                                            Published: November 25, 2024

                                                                                                                                            Culture6 min read

                                                                                                                                            by Mima Mirkovic

                                                                                                                                            Share this post

                                                                                                                                            Keep up with us

                                                                                                                                            Summary

                                                                                                                                            • Databricks Field CDO, Robin Sutara, and JMAN Group Partner, Nathalie Cramp share insights from the recent Women in Data & AI Fireside Chat, hosted by Databricks
                                                                                                                                            • Insights discussed include components for successful AI adoption both in terms of technology investments and skill development, and how the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform builds a strong foundation for AI development
                                                                                                                                            • Data quality, the human element in leveraging AI, and adopting a "start small, think big" approach to AI capabilities are critical to responsible and effective AI initiatives

                                                                                                                                            In the rapidly evolving landscape of AI, organizations across all industries are eager to harness its transformational power. However, successful AI utilization and adoption require more than technological investment - it demands a holistic approach that balances cutting-edge technology with strategic skill development. While data quality and management are undoubtedly top-of-mind for a majority of leaders, the often-overlooked key to AI success lies in the human element: cultivating the right talent and organizational culture to effectively integrate and leverage AI capabilities at scale.

                                                                                                                                            Recent research from MIT Sloan Management Review shows that while 94% of C-suite executives plan to increase technology investments, only 26% of that investment is focused on upskilling their staff, and that just 5% of enterprises are training their entire workforce in generative AI as of 2023. Clearly, there needs to be a focus on comprehensive training programs and a culture of continuous learning to ensure that the preferred platforms and processes are utilized to their maximum potential.

                                                                                                                                            At our recent Women in Data & AI Fireside Chat in New York City, hosted by Databricks Field CDO, Robin Sutara, and JMAN Group Partner, Nathalie Cramp, industry leaders addressed the latest AI trends and accompanying challenges, emphasizing how the right mix of people, processes, and platform is vital for successful AI implementation.

                                                                                                                                            Learn how Databricks is uniquely positioned to help organizations unlock and leverage these components to stay ahead of the AI curve.

                                                                                                                                            Beyond the Data: The Human Element

                                                                                                                                            Enabling and training people within the organization, and fostering their confidence in leveraging cutting-edge technology, is equally as crucial as having clean and readily accessible data.

                                                                                                                                            Embedding data into a company’s culture hinges on how effectively and strategically your team can utilize that data to drive various mission-critical initiatives. Moreover, the quality of your AI solutions is directly proportional to the quality of data it’s built upon, with data health being critical for developing healthy AI models.

                                                                                                                                            These insights underscore the growing importance of developing robust organizational models and best practices, with the ultimate goal of enabling the entire organization to become AI-led. The journey from zero to one is not solely dependent on the chosen data platform or technology: it requires upskilling staff, providing comprehensive training, and aligning the reasons for adoption with the organizational vision. This process requires buy-in from the people you, as a leader, depend on to drive that vision forward.

                                                                                                                                            In other terms, while your organization might be exploring the idea of AI, a crucial question remains: Are your people ready?

                                                                                                                                            Taming the Data Lake “Swamps”

                                                                                                                                            A study by Accenture found that only 32% of companies reported they can create business value from data, despite 90% of business leaders viewing data as a critical enterprise asset.

                                                                                                                                            This statistic highlights a more insidious, process-oriented issue: the data organizations possess but are unable to effectively utilize serves as a significant roadblock to AI adoption. Though many organizations have mastered the art of managing structured data, discussions revealed they still grapple with making sense of their unstructured data. This type of information is crucial for AI development but often resides in what one participant aptly described as “data lake swamps” - vast repositories of unused, messy data that is accessible, but nonsensical.

                                                                                                                                            The Databricks Data Intelligence Platform addresses the data swamp challenge by providing a unified, governed approach to managing extensive and varied data assets. Alongside the Lakehouse architecture, Databricks’s open-source Delta Lake and Unity Catalog enables enterprises to transform chaotic data lakes into organized, accessible repositories of meaningful insights. This future-proof foundation adapts to evolving organizational needs and industry trends, facilitating effective data management and subsequently fueling AI innovation.

                                                                                                                                            We see this transformation from raw data to actionable intelligence exemplified with Experian, a Databricks customer that leverages our platform for real-world impact. Confronted with challenges tied to complex data management and high costs, Experian adopted the Data Intelligence Platform to unify and optimize its data assets. This strategic implementation allowed them to tame their data lake “swamps” and cultivate a dynamic data ecosystem, ultimately driving critical AI-backed use cases related to Customer360 and Fraud Detection into production. For more details on Experian’s journey with Databricks, readers can explore the full case study here.

                                                                                                                                            The Importance of Responsible AI and Data Completeness

                                                                                                                                            It is widely recognized that the opportunities offered by AI are endless. However, trends indicate that the success of AI initiatives heavily relies on data quality.

                                                                                                                                            As Carol Clements, Chief Digital and Technology Officer of JetBlue, states, “You can have all the AI in the world, but if it’s on a shaky data foundation, then it’s not going to bring you any value”. This assertion is supported by a Gartner study on Data Quality: Best Practices for Accurate Insights, which found that data quality issues are the primary cause of poor AI project performance, costing businesses millions in lost revenue annually.

                                                                                                                                            Data completeness often remains an overlooked element of responsible AI, a key component intrinsically tied to the data platform embedded within an organization’s architecture. Additionally, it significantly influences the accuracy of production-grade models used to drive important decisions and returns on investment. Conversely, models trained on inaccurate, incomplete, and low-quality data tend to lead to misinformed business decisions, impacting an organization's global annual revenue by an average of 6%, according to a recent survey from Fivetran. In essence, when data is hidden, neglected, or underutilized, organizations miss out on the full picture, hindering the development of comprehensive AI solutions.

                                                                                                                                            Databricks approaches responsible AI with the vision that every organization should have full ownership and control over its data and AI models. This includes end-to-end monitoring, privacy, and governance embedded throughout the development and deployment stages - all within a single, unified platform. By emphasizing data completeness and responsible innovation, Databricks provides a solution that boasts unparalleled visibility into the breadth, depth, and scope of an organization’s entire data ecosystem, ultimately empowering businesses to fully harness the limitless potential of AI.

                                                                                                                                            Key Takeaway: Start Small, Think Big

                                                                                                                                            One of the most actionable insights uncovered from the discussions was the importance of starting with smaller AI projects while maintaining a "think big" mindset.

                                                                                                                                            The following are some steps organizations can take to implement these insights:

                                                                                                                                            • Initiate with Small Scopes: Begin AI projects with manageable sizes to gauge team readiness.
                                                                                                                                            • Define Clear Outcomes: Establish measurable goals and KPIs from the start to build confidence and momentum, while simultaneously evaluating the effectiveness of your approach to people, process, and platform.
                                                                                                                                            • Evaluate Effectiveness: After each project, assess if you met your initial goals and articulate the value of these AI outcomes.
                                                                                                                                            • Measure Impact: Track the impact of AI initiatives to secure buy-in for future projects and drive adoption.
                                                                                                                                            • Iterate and Adapt: Progress incrementally, adjusting your strategy as needed based on lessons learned throughout the journey.
                                                                                                                                            • Celebrate Successes: Acknowledge achievements and learn from challenges to foster a positive team culture.

                                                                                                                                            This strategy, coupled with your preferred blend of the ingredients needed to craft your organization’s unique “AI recipe” establishes a solid foundation for sustainable AI integration. By following this approach, organizations can cultivate powerful AI capabilities, continuously learn and adapt throughout the process, and unlock the capacity of AI across the enterprise.

                                                                                                                                            Next Steps

                                                                                                                                            As organizations navigate the complexities of AI implementation, challenges such as skill gaps, data management issues, and strategic misalignment persist. However, industry trends and insights shared during the fireside chat illuminate a path forward, emphasizing a multifaceted approach that prioritizes people, processes, and platforms.

                                                                                                                                            The Databricks Data Intelligence Platform serves as a pivotal bridge between conceptualization and implementation, offering a comprehensive and future-proof solution for managing complex data landscapes and enabling responsible AI innovation. By addressing evolving data and AI needs, Databricks empowers organizations to fully harness and capitalize on the immense value of all their data assets.

                                                                                                                                            You can learn more about the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform and how it enables organizations to strategically and successfully leverage use data and AI here: https://www.databricks.com/product/data-intelligence-platform

                                                                                                                                            Additionally, these events aim to create a space for women to connect, share experiences, and elevate their voices in the data and AI community. If you're interested in participating. You can learn more about our most recent event here: https://womenindata.swoogo.com/trailblazing-women

                                                                                                                                            Keep up with us

                                                                                                                                            Recommended for you

                                                                                                                                            Share this post

                                                                                                                                            Never miss a Databricks post

                                                                                                                                            Subscribe to the categories you care about and get the latest posts delivered to your inbox

                                                                                                                                            Sign up

                                                                                                                                            What's next?

                                                                                                                                            2024 Fortune Best Workplaces in Technology™ recognizes Databricks

                                                                                                                                            Culture

                                                                                                                                            September 11, 2024/5 min read

                                                                                                                                            2024 Fortune Best Workplaces in Technology™ recognizes Databricks

                                                                                                                                            Innovators Unveiled: Announcing the Databricks Generative AI Startup Challenge Winners!

                                                                                                                                            News

                                                                                                                                            December 11, 2024/4 min read

                                                                                                                                            Innovators Unveiled: Announcing the Databricks Generative AI Startup Challenge Winners!

                                                                                                                                            databricks logo
                                                                                                                                            Why Databricks
                                                                                                                                            Discover
                                                                                                                                            • For Executives
                                                                                                                                            • For Startups
                                                                                                                                            • Lakehouse Architecture
                                                                                                                                            • Mosaic Research
                                                                                                                                            Customers
                                                                                                                                            • Featured
                                                                                                                                            • See All
                                                                                                                                            Partners
                                                                                                                                            • Cloud Providers
                                                                                                                                            • Technology Partners
                                                                                                                                            • Data Partners
                                                                                                                                            • Built on Databricks
                                                                                                                                            • Consulting & System Integrators
                                                                                                                                            • C&SI Partner Program
                                                                                                                                            • Partner Solutions
                                                                                                                                            Discover
                                                                                                                                            • For Executives
                                                                                                                                            • For Startups
                                                                                                                                            • Lakehouse Architecture
                                                                                                                                            • Mosaic Research
                                                                                                                                            Customers
                                                                                                                                            • Featured
                                                                                                                                            • See All
                                                                                                                                            Partners
                                                                                                                                            • Cloud Providers
                                                                                                                                            • Technology Partners
                                                                                                                                            • Data Partners
                                                                                                                                            • Built on Databricks
                                                                                                                                            • Consulting & System Integrators
                                                                                                                                            • C&SI Partner Program
                                                                                                                                            • Partner Solutions
                                                                                                                                            Product
                                                                                                                                            Databricks Platform
                                                                                                                                            • Platform Overview
                                                                                                                                            • Sharing
                                                                                                                                            • Governance
                                                                                                                                            • Artificial Intelligence
                                                                                                                                            • Business Intelligence
                                                                                                                                            • Data Management
                                                                                                                                            • Data Warehousing
                                                                                                                                            • Real-Time Analytics
                                                                                                                                            • Data Engineering
                                                                                                                                            • Data Science
                                                                                                                                            Pricing
                                                                                                                                            • Pricing Overview
                                                                                                                                            • Pricing Calculator
                                                                                                                                            Open Source
                                                                                                                                            Integrations and Data
                                                                                                                                            • Marketplace
                                                                                                                                            • IDE Integrations
                                                                                                                                            • Partner Connect
                                                                                                                                            Databricks Platform
                                                                                                                                            • Platform Overview
                                                                                                                                            • Sharing
                                                                                                                                            • Governance
                                                                                                                                            • Artificial Intelligence
                                                                                                                                            • Business Intelligence
                                                                                                                                            • Data Management
                                                                                                                                            • Data Warehousing
                                                                                                                                            • Real-Time Analytics
                                                                                                                                            • Data Engineering
                                                                                                                                            • Data Science
                                                                                                                                            Pricing
                                                                                                                                            • Pricing Overview
                                                                                                                                            • Pricing Calculator
                                                                                                                                            Integrations and Data
                                                                                                                                            • Marketplace
                                                                                                                                            • IDE Integrations
                                                                                                                                            • Partner Connect
                                                                                                                                            Solutions
                                                                                                                                            Databricks For Industries
                                                                                                                                            • Communications
                                                                                                                                            • Financial Services
                                                                                                                                            • Healthcare and Life Sciences
                                                                                                                                            • Manufacturing
                                                                                                                                            • Media and Entertainment
                                                                                                                                            • Public Sector
                                                                                                                                            • Retail
                                                                                                                                            • View All
                                                                                                                                            Cross Industry Solutions
                                                                                                                                            • Cybersecurity
                                                                                                                                            • Marketing
                                                                                                                                            Data Migration
                                                                                                                                            Professional Services
                                                                                                                                            Solution Accelerators
                                                                                                                                            Databricks For Industries
                                                                                                                                            • Communications
                                                                                                                                            • Financial Services
                                                                                                                                            • Healthcare and Life Sciences
                                                                                                                                            • Manufacturing
                                                                                                                                            • Media and Entertainment
                                                                                                                                            • Public Sector
                                                                                                                                            • Retail
                                                                                                                                            • View All
                                                                                                                                            Cross Industry Solutions
                                                                                                                                            • Cybersecurity
                                                                                                                                            • Marketing
                                                                                                                                            Resources
                                                                                                                                            Documentation
                                                                                                                                            Customer Support
                                                                                                                                            Community
                                                                                                                                            Training and Certification
                                                                                                                                            • Learning Overview
                                                                                                                                            • Training Overview
                                                                                                                                            • Certification
                                                                                                                                            • University Alliance
                                                                                                                                            • Databricks Academy Login
                                                                                                                                            Events
                                                                                                                                            • Data + AI Summit
                                                                                                                                            • Data + AI World Tour
                                                                                                                                            • Data Intelligence Days
                                                                                                                                            • Event Calendar
                                                                                                                                            Blog and Podcasts
                                                                                                                                            • Databricks Blog
                                                                                                                                            • Databricks Mosaic Research Blog
                                                                                                                                            • Data Brew Podcast
                                                                                                                                            • Champions of Data & AI Podcast
                                                                                                                                            Training and Certification
                                                                                                                                            • Learning Overview
                                                                                                                                            • Training Overview
                                                                                                                                            • Certification
                                                                                                                                            • University Alliance
                                                                                                                                            • Databricks Academy Login
                                                                                                                                            Events
                                                                                                                                            • Data + AI Summit
                                                                                                                                            • Data + AI World Tour
                                                                                                                                            • Data Intelligence Days
                                                                                                                                            • Event Calendar
                                                                                                                                            Blog and Podcasts
                                                                                                                                            • Databricks Blog
                                                                                                                                            • Databricks Mosaic Research Blog
                                                                                                                                            • Data Brew Podcast
                                                                                                                                            • Champions of Data & AI Podcast
                                                                                                                                            About
                                                                                                                                            Company
                                                                                                                                            • Who We Are
                                                                                                                                            • Our Team
                                                                                                                                            • Databricks Ventures
                                                                                                                                            • Contact Us
                                                                                                                                            Careers
                                                                                                                                            • Open Jobs
                                                                                                                                            • Working at Databricks
                                                                                                                                            Press
                                                                                                                                            • Awards and Recognition
                                                                                                                                            • Newsroom
                                                                                                                                            Security and Trust
                                                                                                                                            Company
                                                                                                                                            • Who We Are
                                                                                                                                            • Our Team
                                                                                                                                            • Databricks Ventures
                                                                                                                                            • Contact Us
                                                                                                                                            Careers
                                                                                                                                            • Open Jobs
                                                                                                                                            • Working at Databricks
                                                                                                                                            Press
                                                                                                                                            • Awards and Recognition
                                                                                                                                            • Newsroom
                                                                                                                                            databricks logo

                                                                                                                                            Databricks Inc.
                                                                                                                                            160 Spear Street, 15th Floor
                                                                                                                                            San Francisco, CA 94105
                                                                                                                                            1-866-330-0121

                                                                                                                                            See Careers
                                                                                                                                            at Databricks

                                                                                                                                            © Databricks 2025. All rights reserved. Apache, Apache Spark, Spark, the Spark Logo, Apache Iceberg, Iceberg, and the Apache Iceberg logo are trademarks of the Apache Software Foundation.

                                                                                                                                            • Privacy Notice
                                                                                                                                            • |Terms of Use
                                                                                                                                            • |Modern Slavery Statement
                                                                                                                                            • |California Privacy
                                                                                                                                            • |Your Privacy Choices