AI Boom Reshapes Data Use and Decision-Making

As generative AI moves deeper into corporate operations, data is shifting from a tool for reviewing past performance to critical infrastructure for model training, real-time analysis and automated decisions. Leon Saunders Calvert, president of Economist Enterprise, said the reliability of AI-driven outcomes depends on high-quality data, making stronger governance, validation and accountability increasingly important for companies deploying the technology.

Calvert said the rapid proliferation of AI has materially changed both how organizations use data and what executives debate about it. Attention is increasingly focused on preserving trust in data, limiting inaccurate outputs and preventing AI hallucinations, rather than pursuing speed and scale alone. The report did not disclose a specific publication date, investment amount, adoption rate or other quantitative benchmark for the shift.