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When AI Is Everywhere, Data Becomes the Differentiator

Mitch Ashley
The short answer

In our latest Thought Leadership Brief, When AI Is Everywhere, Data Becomes the Differentiator, completed in partnership with Oracle, Futurum Research examines why industry-specific AI requires industry-specific data and how the ability to create, curate, and serve that data builds competitive…

Futurum's Mitch Ashley,

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Mitch Ashley, The Futurum Group, "When AI Is Everywhere, Data Becomes the Differentiator," September 30, 2026. https://trial.futurumgroup.com/research-reports/when-ai-is-everywhere-data-becomes-the-differentiator/

When AI Is Everywhere, Data Becomes the Differentiator

Generative AI is no longer a differentiator. Every enterprise vendor ships GenAI features, every infrastructure provider rents GPU capacity, and every model provider claims state-of-the-art benchmarks. Organizations are buying the same models and deploying similar copilots, yet the gap between AI leaders and laggards in measurable business value continues to widen. Futurum research shows generative AI ranks as the #1 enterprise technology priority for 33% of decision-makers, followed closely by data integration and application management at 27%.

The difference lies in the data a model can access. Generic data at any volume produces generic outcomes. Industry-specific data, generated from real workflows, governed over decades, and exposed to AI in real time, produces differentiated decisions, automation, and business value. Buyers already recognize the shift: 61% rank customization among their top criteria when evaluating AI-enabled applications, and 39% expect generative AI delivered through agents designed for specific functions rather than general-purpose copilots.

In our latest thought leadership brief, When AI Is Everywhere, Data Becomes the Differentiator, completed in partnership with Oracle, Futurum Research examines why industry-specific AI requires industry-specific data and how the ability to create, curate, and serve that data within real business workflows builds competitive advantage in enterprise AI.

In this brief, you will learn:

  • Why foundation models are commoditizing and where enterprise AI value is shifting
  • Where enterprises see the greatest AI impact, from finance and customer service to supply chain
  • How the create, curate, and serve discipline turns operational and customer data into lasting AI advantage
  • How Oracle applies this discipline across infrastructure, database, enterprise, and industry applications
  • What enterprise buyers should evaluate beyond isolated AI features

If you are interested in learning more, be sure to download your copy of When AI Is Everywhere, Data Becomes the Differentiator today.

Published by Futurum.

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