My fellow data citizens,
Every year, the pace of change in AI seems impossible to match. And yet we do. 2025 brought rapid adoption of AI agents, explosive data growth and the first wave of comprehensive AI regulations. In 2026, that evolution continues, but with a twist. We are entering the era of proving the value of your AI investment.
The question is no longer how fast you can adopt AI; rather, it’s how wisely you can integrate it into your business.
Organizations are realizing that unchecked AI spending doesn’t guarantee business value. Unstructured data, fragmented tools and unclear accountability make scaling difficult. But data leaders who build strong governance foundations are turning this challenge into advantage.
We predict that 2026 will be a pivotal year. A year where data products mature into true competitive assets, automation becomes the connective tissue between data and business outcomes and new roles—like the AI agent steward—emerge to ensure human judgment remains in the loop.
Governance isn’t slowing AI down. It’s accelerating it. Safely.
Warm regards,
Stijn (Stan) Christiaens
Co-Founder and Chief Data Citizen, Collibra
