BARC Data, BI and Analytics Trend Monitor 2026
Data quality once again tops the list of foundations required for meaningful AI adoption.
In 2026, AI is accelerating fast, but the organizations actually capturing value are the ones investing in the basics: clean, governed, trustworthy data. This year’s findings show a decisive shift toward operationalizing AI while doubling down on the foundations that make it reliable.
“Trustworthy data, robust governance, and a strong data culture remain the non-negotiable baseline for every AI ambition.”
Read the report to find out:
- Why data quality management reclaimed the #1 spot, and how it underpins AI success
- What’s driving the widening gap between vendors and users in AI priorities
- How best-in-class companies outpace laggards (and the three trends where the gap is largest)
- How global differences are shaping adoption: Europe stays cautious, North America scales fast, and APAC accelerates AI
- How generative AI, decision intelligence, and agentic AI are reshaping data practices
- Why the human factors—culture, literacy, governance—still shape AI adoption more than technology itself
The 2026 landscape at a glance
This year’s BARC Trend Monitor confirms a clear pattern: organizations that succeed with AI aren’t just experimenting with models—they’re investing heavily in the groundwork. Data quality, security, governance, and literacy form the irreducible core of every sustainable initiative.
At the same time, pressure to operationalize AI, decision intelligence, generative AI, and automation has intensified. Leaders are moving beyond pilots, embedding analytics into workflows, and building modern, scalable architectures capable of supporting real business impact. Those who balance foundational discipline with targeted innovation are already pulling ahead.
The Data, BI and Analytics Trend Monitor 2026 was conducted by BARC in the summer of 2025. A total of 1,579 individuals participated in the survey. The study sheds light on current trends, challenges, and strategies in the field of data, BI and analytics and provides in-depth practical insights across industries, regions and maturity levels. For more information, please visit: Data Decisions. Built on BARC.