Survey Shows Clear Trend Toward Cloud-Based Data Management Solutions With AI/ML
Würzburg, October 28, 2024 – BARC has released the sixth edition of “The Data Management Survey 25“. This survey offers deep insights into the latest developments and trends in data management, evaluating the performance and adoption of 23 different data management products. With a total of 909 participants from 45 countries and detailed feedback on 31 key performance indicators (KPIs), the study provides valuable guidance for companies and users.
Key findings:
- Tools and providers in practice: Many providers focus more on trending topics like AI and machine learning (ML) than the actual current needs of users.
- Prepared for AI/ML? Tool support, especially among cloud data platforms, often exceeds expectations, with cloud-based applications on the rise.
- Usability for business users: Less than half of surveyed companies consider usability a crucial criterion in selecting data management tools, though integrating business users remains extremely important.
- Outdated licensing models: Flexibility and scalability in licensing models are increasingly outdated.
- Generating more value from data: The focus of data management tools is less on cost savings and more on maximizing data value.
Gap between provider and user expectations
A noticeable gap exists between the expectations of providers and the actual needs of buyers. While 40% of providers consider “data products” important, only 25% of users agree. A similar discrepancy appears with AI/ML technologies, deemed critical by 38% of providers versus only 14% of customers.
AI adoption more widespread than expected
Despite the rapid adoption of AI in data management tools, only 22% of respondents see issues with AI. In fact, 78% rate these technologies as “excellent,” “good” or “satisfactory.” However, AI features still rank lower in terms of functionality.
Growing influence of cloud data platforms
AI and ML are primarily used within cloud data platform use cases. Among respondents, 33% use these platforms, compared to only 17% for data intelligence platforms and 15% for data engineering platforms.
Customer expectations for functionality and flexibility
Customers continue to prioritize traditional topics like data warehousing, data integration, self-service and data quality. 25% of companies report no issues with their software. However, major challenges include the flexibility of pricing models and a lack of knowledge about technology, along with application complexity. Furthermore, 12% cite missing essential core features.
Cloud applications on the rise
The trend toward the cloud continues. 33% of surveyed companies operate their tools as SaaS solutions, 20% use the public cloud and only 26% remain exclusively with on-premises installations.
“The Data Management Survey 25” by BARC highlights that the data management tools market continues to evolve dynamically, with a clear focus on cloud technologies and AI/ML support. At the same time, user demands for usability and flexibility are higher than ever. The study serves as an indispensable guide for companies seeking the right tools to maximize the value of their data.
- The Data Management Survey 25: https://barc.com/de/research/data-management-survey/
- Software Reviews: https://barc.com/de/reviews/data-tools/
- Shop: https://barc.com/de/produkt/the-data-management-survey/
