Data at Davos
by Donna Burbank, Managing Director
The World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos is well-known internationally as a strategic hub where global business leaders, innovators, and experts converge to discuss major economic and societal trends. Kicking off the year in January, it’s the “who’s who” and “what’s what” that acts as a barometer for the key themes set to impact the global economic ecosystem in the coming year.
Data-first, Governance-first
It’s no surprise that Artificial Intelligence (AI) was a core theme anchoring the discussions from business and government leaders in this year’s WEF 2026. What was a refreshing surprise, however, was the consistent topic of conversations around need for data governance and data quality as a core requirement for successful AI. As a data management professional, it was surprising to hear words like data stewardship, data governance, and data quality as a recurring theme in Davos – not only in the sessions themselves, but in the coffee lines, on the train, and in regular conversation on the street.
I’ll admit that after the initial shock, a bit of territorialism set in briefly – what were businesspeople doing using “our” terminology? Among data professionals, the term data literacy is often used when trying to align the data tech teams with business stakeholders. I haven’t been a fan of the term data literacy – it can be seen as condescending and, after hearing data terms used so liberally on the streets of Davos, I’ll go as far to say that it’s downright hubris. Perhaps rather than “data literacy” for businesspeople, a better term might be “business literacy” for data professionals. Among the business and government leaders at Davos, while there were many data platform vendors and numerous AI vendors, there were very few, if any, vendors focused on data governance, data management, and data quality.
Business-led Data Discussions
Across the majority of AI-centric sessions, it was business and government leaders driving the conversations around the need for data governance and data quality. Topics ranged from the need for data quality in Agriculture and Agtech, to data governance in public health, and women’s health in particular, and data sovereignty as emerging markets look to embrace the benefits of AI while protecting the data of their citizens. Nearly every conversation that involved AI involved data governance. While that was refreshing to hear, I couldn’t help but wonder why more data professionals weren’t part of the conversation. In a world increasingly divided by silos and echo-chambers, I realized that data management has its own – while data professionals are lamenting lack of engagement from the business, business leaders are eagerly looking for support in better managing and protecting their data. The two “sides” are not connecting.
The Human side of Data and AI
Why the disconnect? A theme in several of the sessions was the need for technical professionals who could understand the “big picture” and align technology with business needs. It was the liberal arts approach to tech that was missing. In one session in particular on quantum computing, university students were in attendance and asked what skills would be best for them to prepare for the field of quantum computing or AI. The panel member who is the Nobel laureate in quantum computing was quick to reply “humanities, communication skills, and the ability to understand the business applications for technology”. From a gentleman who is one of the leading technologists in the world today – the focus was on human connection and understanding.
Davos is a forum for high-value human engagement, small forums, and the serendipity of meeting top leaders and engaging in meaningful conversations that drive action beyond the event. For many attendees, this was one of the greatest benefits – in a world of high-frequency, high-volume social platforms, there was a great appreciation for low-volume, high-impact human connection.
Conclusion
There is a great opportunity for data management professionals to have a “seat at the table” in leading the next phase of innovation around data and its application in business and government. We have a lot of collective knowledge in our industry and it’s time for us to push past our comfort zone of speaking amongst ourselves, and expand the conversation to the business forums that are driving change.
To hear more about data at Davos, check out my video series from the event:
Day 1 at Davos – the Buzz around Data and AI
Day 2 at Davos – the Missing Data Management Layer
Day 3 at Davos – Quantum Computing and the Need for the Human Aspect