The quest for trusted, actionable insights is driving a rapid evolution in analytics. Between access to powerful AI models, the need for robust business intelligence (BI), and the hype around agentic AI, the market has quickly evolved from simple, rule-based automations to deeply integrated, intelligent agents that empower all stakeholders. Organizations are aggressively pursuing AI-driven analytics to gain a competitive edge, driven by a clear recognition of its transformative power. A staggering 96% of organizations recognized the critical role of AI in their business and they are prioritizing AI-driven insights as the way forward.¹ The demand is matched by escalating investment: 97% of organizations have increased their financial commitment to analytics and business intelligence within the last year. And core to these commitments are a clear demand for user-friendly, AI-enhanced tools that deliver true self-service analytics.

But while businesses are increasingly seeking AI solutions to improve data-driven decision-making, the journey to intelligent and actionable insights remains fraught with complexity. Data silos hinder analysis, creating a fragmented view of the business landscape. The sheer volume of data, coupled with its rapid change, overwhelms even the most seasoned data teams. Limited user adoption of their analytics platforms is compounded by a lack of skilled personnel to bridge the gap between technical capabilities and business understanding. And the need for scalability is also high, with massive data sets straining current architectures. These are not abstract problems; they represent real hurdles to becoming truly data-driven. The result is that 78% of organizations agreed that it takes too long to act on insights.

Organizations are seeking solutions that streamline data integration, enhancing data quality and consistency while making data more accessible to a wider range of users. They desire tools that improve data governance and security and simultaneously support advanced analytics through deeply integrated AI agents that shorten time to insight and time to take action. The need for self-service analytics is particularly important, highlighted by the fact that 75% of organizations agreed that the promise of self-service analytics has not lived up to the hype. Businesses are actively searching for solutions that will effectively empower business users through simplified interfaces and automated processes, enabling them to focus on strategic decision-making rather than grappling with complicated analytical tools.

^1. Source: Enterprise Strategy Group Research Report, Unleashing the Power of AI in Analytics and Business Intelligence, May 2024. All research presented in this brief are taken from this research report.