BARC has released its annual Data, BI and Analytics Trend Monitor, based on insights from more than 1,500 respondents (1,795 participants this year).
While generative AI continues to attract significant attention, the most important priorities remain the fundamentals: data security, data quality, and data governance.
The study also highlights the continued importance of maintaining a balanced relationship between people and technology. According to BARC, building a strong data-driven culture and strengthening data literacy across the organization are essential to ensuring successful adoption and long-term impact.
A data-driven culture refers to the values, behaviours, and practices that encourage teams to ethically and effectively use data to support decision-making, improve processes, and drive innovation. Organizations with mature data cultures make decisions based on evidence, not instinct.
Data literacy, on the other hand, is the ability to read, interpret, visualize, and communicate data clearly, allowing employees at all levels to ask better questions, make informed decisions, and articulate actionable insights.
Comparison across industries
Financial Services
- Advanced analytics
- Machine learning
Utilities and Communications
- Real-time analytics
- Streaming data
Public Sector & Retail
- Operational business intelligence
- Embedded analytics
Healthcare
- Data security (due to sensitive patient information)
Manufacturing
- Data-driven culture
- Governance
All Industries
- Data quality management
- Data security
What Leaders Are Saying
Although many organizations recognize the importance of artificial intelligence, the highest-performing companies are shifting toward decision intelligence: using AI to automate, enhance, and accelerate decision-making.
This reinforces a key trend: organizations leading the way are those investing in strong data foundations, combined with the latest technological capabilities.
Trending Topics
Among the most discussed themes this year:
- Data security and privacy
- Data quality management
- AI and machine learning
- Data governance
- Data-driven culture & data/AI literacy
- Self-service analytics and data discovery
Our Perspective
The findings confirm what many leaders already observe: governance, quality, security, and data culture are foundational elements that need to be top priorities for organizations seeking to mature their data capabilities.
These pillars form the backbone of any successful BI or AI initiative. The long-standing principle of "garbage in, garbage out" applies more strongly than ever.
Poor-quality data undermines decision-making. Weak security erodes trust. A lack of governance exposes organizations to operational and compliance risks.
Our conviction is simple: Investing in strong foundations is a strategic choice. These fundamentals create an environment where innovation can thrive.
When governance, quality, security, and culture are in place, organizations can adopt emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, with confidence, clarity, and measurable impact.
Auteur
Steeve Boucher, Strategic consultant
References
- BARC. (2024). Data, BI and Analytics Trend Monitor 2025: https://barc.com/research/bi-trend-monitor-2025/
- Statistique Canada. (2024, avril 26). Formation sur la littératie des données: https://www.statcan.gc.ca/fr/afc/litteratie-donnees
Artificial intelligence tools were used to support the translation of this content.
