Artificial Intelligence

Industry analysts urge data trust over AI hype

As organisations continue to increasingly embrace AI to unlock new operations, industry analysts - at the Gartner Data & Analytics Summit in Sydney - urged a critical reminder that without trustworthy data, even the most advanced AI systems can lead businesses astray. Amid rising interest in generative AI and autonomous agents, business leaders are being reminded that flashy AI capabilities are meaningless if built on unreliable data. According to information technology research and advisory company Gartner's 2024 survey, data quality and availability remain the biggest barriers to effective AI implementation. If the foundation is flawed, so is the intelligence built on top of it. While achieving perfect data governance is an admirable goal, it's often impractical in fast-moving business environments. Instead, analysts recommend implementing "trust models" that assess the reliability of data based on its origin, lineage, and level of curation. These models enable more nuanced, risk-aware decision-making and can prevent the misuse of data without stalling innovation. Richard Bovey, Chief for Data at AND Digital, comments, "Trust in data isn't just a technical challenge, it's deeply cultural and organisational. While advanced tools and trust models can help address the reliability of data, true confidence in data quality comes from clear ownership, clear practices, and company-wide commitment to transparency. "Too often, organisations are rushing into AI initiatives without fixing the basics. According to our research, 56% of businesses are implementing AI despite knowing their data may not be accurate in order to prevent from falling behind their competitors. "Businesses must consider taking a data and AI approach to their technical operations to build trust, cross-functional collaboration, and ongoing education. Only then can AI initiatives truly succeed." At the summit, autonomy was a central theme. AI systems may act independently in low-risk or time-sensitive situations, but full autonomy still raises concerns as, while users accept AI advice, they're still adjusting to autonomous AI decision-making. Stuart Harvey, CEO of Datactics, argues, "One of the biggest misconceptions we see is the belief that AI performance is purely a function of the model itself, when in reality, it all starts with data. Without well-governed, high-quality data, even the most sophisticated AI systems will produce inconsistent or misleading results. "Organisations often underestimate the foundational role of data management, but these aren't back-office tasks, they're strategic enablers of trustworthy AI and those businesses that rush into AI without addressing fragmented or unverified data sources put themselves at significant risk. Strong data foundations aren't just nice to have in today's technical landscape, they're essential for reliable, ethical, and scalable AI adoption." Gartner predicts that by 2027, 20% of business processes will be fully managed by autonomous analytics and these "perceptive" systems will move beyond dashboards, offering proactive, embedded insights. The company also believes that by 2030, AI agents will replace 30% of SaaS interfaces, turning apps into intelligent data platforms. To thrive, data leaders should thus prioritise trust, influence, and organisational impact, or risk being sidelined. For more from Gartner, click here.

'More than a third of UK businesses unprepared for AI risks'

Despite recognising artificial intelligence (AI) as a major threat, with nearly a third (30%) of UK organisations surveyed naming it among their top three risks, many remain significantly unprepared to manage AI risk. Recent research from CyXcel, a global cyber security consultancy, highlights a concerning gap: nearly a third (29%) of UK businesses surveyed have only just implemented their first AI risk strategy - and 31% don’t have any AI governance policy in place. This critical gap exposes organisations to substantial risks including data breaches, regulatory fines, reputational harm, and critical operational disruptions, especially as AI threats continue to grow and rapidly evolve. CyXcel’s research shows that nearly a fifth (18%) of UK and US companies surveyed are still not prepared for AI data poisoning, a type of cyberattack that targets the training datasets of AI and machine learning (ML) models, or for a deepfake or cloning security incident (16%). Responding to these mounting threats and geopolitical challenges, CyXcel has launched its Digital Risk Management (DRM) platform, which aims to provide businesses with insight into evolving AI risks across major sectors, regardless of business size or jurisdiction. The DRM seeks to help organisations identify risk and implement the right policies and governance to mitigate them. Megha Kumar, Chief Product Officer and Head of Geopolitical Risk at CyXcel, comments, “Organisations want to use AI but are worried about risks – especially as many do not have a policy and governance process in place. The CyXcel DRM provides clients across all sectors, especially those that have limited technological resources in house, with a robust tool to proactively manage digital risk and harness AI confidently and safely.” Edward Lewis, CEO of CyXcel, adds, “The cybersecurity regulatory landscape is rapidly evolving and becoming more complex, especially for multinational organisations. Governments worldwide are enhancing protections for critical infrastructure and sensitive data through legislation like the EU’s Cyber Resilience Act, which mandates security measures such as automatic updates and incident reporting. Similarly, new laws are likely to arrive in the UK next year which introduce mandatory ransomware reporting and stronger regulatory powers. With new standards and controls continually emerging, staying current is essential.”

'AI is the new oil—and data centres are the refineries'

With AI adoption reshaping global industries, Straightline Consulting’s Managing Director, Craig Eadie, shares his insights regarding how data centres are powering the GenAI revolution: "The age of AI is here. Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is rewriting the rulebook when it comes to everything from software development and call centre productivity to copywriting — boosting efficiency and, depending on who you ask, on track to raise the GDP of industrialised nations by 10-15% over the next decade. "The impact of AI will reshape the global economy over the coming years, consolidating value among the companies that successfully capitalise on this moment — and disrupting those that don’t. The 'arms race' to develop the next generation of AI technologies — like Google’s new Veo 3 video generation tool, released at the start of June, which is already making headlines for its ability to allow anyone willing to pay $249 per month to create hauntingly lifelike, realistic videos of everything from kittens playing to election fraud — is accelerating as well. AI has become the new oil: the global fuel for economic growth. Unlike oil, however, GenAI alone isn’t valuable. Rather, its power lies in the ability to apply GenAI models to data. That process, akin to refining crude into petroleum, happens in the data centre. "Productivity is far from the only thing GenAI is turbocharging. This rush to build, train, and operate new GenAI models is also accelerating the race to build the digital infrastructure that houses them. Goldman Sachs predicts that global power demand from data centres will increase 50% by 2027 and by as much as 165% by the end of the decade, largely driven by GenAI adoption. "As someone working in the data centre commissioning sector, it’s impossible to overstate the impact that GenAI is having, and will continue to have, on our industry. GenAI has exploded our predictions. It’s even bigger than anyone anticipated. The money, the scale, the speed — demand is growing even faster than the most optimistic projections pre-2023. By the end of 2025, almost half of all the power data centres consume globally could be used to power AI systems. "The data centre commissioning space we’re operating in today has transformed dramatically. On the construction and design side, huge changes, not just in how buildings are constructed, but in the technology inside those buildings, are reshaping how we commission them. "The battle to capitalise on the GenAI boom is a battle to overcome three challenges: access to power, materials, and talent. "GenAI requires an order of magnitude more power than traditional colocation or cloud workloads. As a result, there are serious concerns about power availability across Europe, especially in the UK. We can’t build the data centres we need to capitalise on the GenAI boom because there’s just not enough power. There are some encouraging signs that governments are taking this challenge seriously. For example, the UK government has responded by creating 'AI Growth Zones' to unlock investment in AI-enabled data centres by improving access to power and providing planning support in some areas of the country. The European Union’s AI Continent Plan also includes plans to build large-scale AI data and computing infrastructures, including at least 13 operational 'AI factories' by 2026 and up to five 'gigafactories' at some point after that. "However, power constraints and baroque planning and approvals processes threaten to undermine these efforts. Multiple data centre markets are already facing pushback from local councils and communities against new infrastructure because of their effect on power grids and local water supplies. Dublin and Amsterdam already stymied new builds even before the GenAI boom. This comes with risk, because AI engines can be built anywhere. GDPR means data must be housed in-country, but if Europe and the UK don’t move faster, large US AI firms will resort to building their massive centres stateside and deploy the tech across the Atlantic later. Once an AI engine is trained, it can run on less demanding infrastructure. We risk stifling the AI industry in Europe and the UK if we don’t start building faster and making more power available today. "The other key constraints are access to raw materials and components. Global supply chain challenges have spiked the cost of construction materials, and the lead times for data-centre-specific components like cooling equipment can be as much as six months, further complicating the process of building new infrastructure. "Access to talent is another pain point that threatens to slow the industry at a time when it should be speeding up. Commissioning is a vital part of the data centre design, construction, and approvals process, and our sector is facing a generational talent crisis. There isn’t enough young talent coming into the sector. That has to change across the board—not just in commissioning, but for project managers, consultants, everyone, everywhere. The pain point is particularly acute in commissioning, however, because of the sector’s relatively niche pipeline and stringent requirements. You can’t just walk in off the street and become a commissioning engineer. The field demands a solid background in either electrical or mechanical engineering or through a trade. Right now, the pipelines to produce the next generation of data centre commissioning professionals just isn’t producing the numbers of new hires the industry needs. "This obviously affects all data centre commissioning, not just AI. The scale of demand and speed at which the industry is moving means this risks becoming a serious pinch point not too far down the line. "Looking at the next few years, it’s impossible to say exactly where we’re headed, but it’s clear that, unless Europe and the UK can secure access to reliable, affordable energy, as well as clear the way for data centre approvals to move quickly, pain points like the industry talent shortage and rising materials costs (not to mention lead times) threaten to leave the region behind in the race to capture, refine, and capitalise on the new oil: GenAI."

EDGNEX announces $2.3 billion data centre in Jakarta

EDGNEX Data Centers by DAMAC, a global digital infrastructure company backed by a global conglomerate headquartered in Dubai, today announced the development of a 'next-generation,' AI-powered data centre in Jakarta, Indonesia - its second in the market. This project marks one of Southeast Asia’s largest AI-dedicated developments, with a future projected capacity of 144 MW and a total investment of $2.3 billion. Following the land acquisition completed in March 2025 by DAMAC, the site has entered early construction phases, with the facility’s phase one expected to be ready for service by December 2026. The Jakarta facility will deploy high-density AI racks and is hoped to be a factor in accelerating the country’s transition from an analogue base to an AI-powered digital economy. Indonesia remains a high-potential Southeast Asian market, yet faces digital infrastructure gaps, limited hyperscale readiness, and rising latency challenges. With AI adoption accelerating across sectors, this project seeks to respond to the nation’s growing demand for scalable, energy-efficient infrastructure. “This is our second project in Indonesia, and this development reinforces our commitment to bridging the digital divide in fast-growing markets across Southeast Asia (SEA), such as Indonesia,” says Hussain Sajwani, Founder of DAMAC Group. “We are proud to build what will become one of Southeast Asia’s most advanced, sustainable data centres to power the next wave of innovation and digital growth. The scale of AI workloads demands a new class of infrastructure. This project is part of our broader push across SEA, where we have committed over $3 billion in digital infrastructure investments to date.” The new facility will target a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.32, and builds on EDGNEX’s growing presence in Thailand, Malaysia, and other key SEA markets. In 2024, the company announced its first data centre in Indonesia, a planned 19.2 WM data centre to be built at MT Haryono in Jakarta. It aims to address the growing demand for cloud service providers, edge nodes, and potential artificial intelligence deployments. The first phase is scheduled for completion in the third quarter of 2026. The regional goal for Edgnex in SEA is 300+ MW of operational capacity by 2026. For more from EDGNEX, click here.

‘Businesses sleepwalking into cyber catastrophe’

Security leaders have warned that ‘businesses are sleepwalking into a cyber catastrophe’ due to the rapid adoption of AI tools, alongside lacking privacy and ethics controls, amid a wave of recent high-profile cyber-attacks and data leaks. Arkadiy Ukolov, Co-Founder and CEO of Ulla Technology, a global HR platform, cautioned that many businesses are putting their data at risk by rushing off to use third-party AI tools as the main system to streamline operations. The ongoing fallout from the M&S cyber-attack, alongside other major hits against Co-op, Dior, and Harrods, has highlighted the severity of data risks and how data is protected, forcing security teams to re-evaluate their protocols. Speaking from the Viva Technology event in Paris, Arkadiy says, “Data breaches and cyber threats are relentless so it’s vital that industries such as HR, law, government, and beyond are securing every aspect of their technology stack to protect their data. Unfortunately, the speed of AI adoption means that many businesses are sleepwalking into a cyber catastrophe, leaving critical gaps in their data protection processes and putting both sensitive internal and customer data at risk. “Even in an area such as meeting transcripts, there are sensitive conversations around company financials or workplace policy updates that cannot be exposed, requiring privacy-first collection and storage methods for data to protect against a breach. Understanding the risks and putting in place enterprise-grade security and data privacy can help businesses better guard against these risks, even with the added exposure from AI.” Viva Technology, hosted this year between 11 and 14 June in Paris, is Europe’s largest startups and technology event, attracting over 150,000 attendees and 11,000 startups each year. Key themes this year include the pace of AI innovation, regulation, the importance of human control, vertical industry applications for AI, and data security.

AI summit warns of ‘skills cliff edge’

Industry leaders gathered during London Tech Week at the House of Lords this week for a high-level summit on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the jobs market and wider UK economy, with speakers warning of the "skills cliff edge." Chaired by Steven George-Hilley of Centropy PR, the debate saw experts from leading law firms, financial services, and tech startups discuss how AI is reshaping the workforce and the risks and talent pipeline required to maximise its economic benefits. Cyber expert Achi Lewis-Dhaliwal, AVP UK, EMEA & India, Absolute Security, says, “The financial services industry houses vast quantities of sensitive data that is constantly subject to threats from malicious cyber actors, especially with the rise of AI-powered attacks. These House of Lords discussions should be grounded in the understanding of cyber risks against the UK’s most important industries, and the cyber resilience postures that can ensure they remain operational.” Leigh Allen, Strategic Advisor, Cellebrite, comments, “AI is a critical enabler in unlocking digital evidence and significantly reducing investigation times, greatly aiding police forces and combating national security threats. At Cellebrite, we combine ethical access to digital evidence alongside artificial intelligence to equip agencies to respond and counteract digital threats to make our society a safer place.” James Tuttiett, Sales Director UK & EMEA at FDM Group, adds, “There’s a lack of a united vision and strategy across all industries when it comes to AI. We’re seeing that most organisations are still in the experimental phase, testing the ways that AI can influence and improve their business functions while driving greater efficiency. Whilst there is not a one size fits all approach being adapted, what is clear is that the integration of AI is immanent and creating an AI-literate workforce for the future is vital. “As we look to the impact that AI will have on future jobs, more emphasis needs to be placed on our understanding of the questions we ask of AI and not just the answers it gives. Embracing AI, and understanding how prompt engineering can improve all of our careers, is essential.” Tech expert Arkadiy Ukolov, Founder of Ulla Technology, argues, “Privacy and data security must remain a critical focus as AI adoption continues to skyrocket, especially as [the] most popular AI tools send data to third-party AI providers which often use client data to train models. When it comes to sensitive meeting discussions, for example, it creates a significant risk of data leaks, so placing ethics at the centre of House of Lords discussions is vital as AI develops.” Stuart Harvey, CEO of Datactics, notes, “In the rush to adopt AI tools, we must first recognise the importance of data quality and readiness to underpin high-performing AI. Many organisations still operate in fragmented data environments, risking inaccurate model outputs and unreliable responses. Without data readiness, AI cannot be successful.” Chris Davison, CEO of NavLive, concludes, “AI is at the forefront of the UK’s growth, [including] transformative applications such as 2D and 3D building modelling in real-time to help expedite developments and facilitate sustainable building practices. By creating accurate real-time spatial data across the lifecycle of a building, architects, engineers, and construction professionals can save significant time and money.”

Ciena publishes report on wave services demand

Ciena, an American networking systems and software company specialising in optical networking equipment, has compiled a new report on wavelength services that explores the key drivers of the need for high-speed connectivity. The report examines the critical role of wave services in enabling the expansion of interconnected data centres driven by artificial intelligence (AI), the growing importance of low latency and data sovereignty for AI workloads, and the build-out of terrestrial and critical submarine network infrastructure. It also highlights the pivotal role of managed optical fibre network (MOFN) business models to expand high-speed connectivity into new geographies and markets. “As cloud providers scale data centre networks to address AI performance requirements, wave services must also evolve in terms of capacity, coverage, latency, and route diversity,” says Mark Bieberich, Vice President of Portfolio Marketing, Ciena. “Demand for wave services is growing steadily worldwide as data centre network expansion requires increasingly high-capacity interconnection among various types of network operators and end users.” The total wave services circuits market in the US grew nearly 8% in 2024 and is projected to grow steadily through 2029, based on research from Vertical Systems Group. It observed an increasing use of wave services for cloud on-ramps, which is demonstrated by the metro geographical scope (41%) along with the dominance of retail customers (58%). The report states that, from 2024 to 2029, growth in 400G circuits is set to soar, while 100G circuits will see a steady rise and 10G circuits will experience modest growth. Wave services are the foundation of most high-capacity networks, particularly when connectivity to or between data centres is involved. High bandwidth, protocol transparency, and low latency are some of their fundamental characteristics. Wave services can either act as end services or support higher-layer services. Based on Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) technology, they enable massive data-transmission bandwidth over a fibre pair. Currently, wave services are dominated by 100G and 400G connections. There is still a high volume of 10G services deployed, but they are being upgraded to 100G at a steady pace. Ciena’s report also looks at the growth of submarine cables. It highlights that a record 161,100km of submarine cables are planned to become ready for service (RFS) in 2025, dwarfing the previous high of 121,000km becoming RFS back in 2001. “With infrastructure expanding rapidly and resource constraints increasingly shaping growth, anticipating demand has never been more important,” continues Mark. “Network operators providing wave services can seize this moment by proactively routing new submarine cables to emerging data centres and innovating to address these challenges. Differentiation through greater route diversity, low-latency connectivity, and compelling managed services is key to staying ahead.” The report provides an analysis of the current industry landscape, evaluating key trends and identifying factors poised to influence the market in the coming years.

UKRI invests £22 million into data spending

The UK Department for Research and Innovation (UKRI) has invested £22 million into data spending and staff over the past three years, underscoring the department's strategic commitment to data as a cornerstone of national research and innovation. Data is playing an increasingly vital role, particularly as artificial intelligence (AI) is being rolled out throughout government departments, with 70% of government bodies already piloting or planning to use AI, highlighting the urgent need for high-quality, structured, and secure data. This development marks a 70% increase in salary investment in just two years, reflecting both rising headcounts and the increasing value of data expertise in shaping the UK’s research landscape. Stuart Harvey, CEO of Datactics, comments, “Both businesses and government departments are keen to implement AI into their business functions but are overlooking the fundamental truth that AI is only as good as the data it learns from. Hiring challenges are becoming an increasing problem, but businesses should follow in the UKRI's footsteps to invest in data spending and staff, and upskill their teams in data management, governance, and quality to improve data readiness. “AI is only as effective as the data it processes and without structured, accurate, and well-governed data, businesses risk AI systems that are flawed. The rush to deploy AI without a strong data foundation is a costly mistake and, in a competitive AI landscape, only those who get their data right will be the ones who thrive.” UKRI’s investment in its data workforce reflects the growing demand for high-quality, well-managed, and accessible data that enables researchers to collaborate, innovate, and respond to global challenges. Between 2022 and 2025, UKRI’s data-related salary investment rose by 85%, from £5.35 million to £9.89 million, reflecting both growing headcounts and the escalating value of data expertise across the UK’s research ecosystem. Over the same period, the number of staff with “data” in their job titles rose from 138 in 2022 to 203 in 2025 - a 47% increase. Sachin Agrawal, Managing Director for Zoho UK, says, “As the UK continues to position itself as a global science and technology powerhouse, it is a welcome sight to see the department prioritising the investment of its data workforce for long-term commitment to data-driven research. “In an era where public trust and data ethics are paramount, building in-house expertise is essential to ensuring that data privacy, transparency, and compliance are at the heart of our national research infrastructure. This strategic investment lays the foundation for smarter and safer technology use by the UKRI."

House of Commons boosts data workforce by 50%

The UK's House of Commons has splashed £7.5 million into data spending and staff over the past three years, underscoring its strategic commitment to data as a cornerstone of national research and innovation. As the public sector embraces AI at pace, with over 70% of government bodies piloting or planning AI implementation, the demand for robust data infrastructure and skilled personnel has never been greater. In response, the House of Commons has quietly ramped up hiring and spending on data roles, reflecting a broader strategic shift towards data-centric governance. Over the past three years, the number of staff in the House of Commons with "data" in their job titles has jumped from 49 in 2022 to 73 in early 2025, marking a 49% increase. Alongside this, total salary investment for data roles rose by more than 63%, from £1.83 million to £2.98 million, excluding final April 2025 figures still pending payroll completion. The figures reflect a growing recognition within Parliament that AI innovation is only as effective as the data that underpins it. Stuart Harvey, CEO of Datactics, comments, "There's a growing appetite across government to harness the power of AI, but what's often overlooked is that AI is only as reliable as the data it's built on. The House of Commons' investment in data roles is a critical step toward ensuring its systems are grounded in quality, governance, and accuracy. "Hiring the right data professionals and embedding strong data practices is no longer optional, it's essential. Without it, organisations risk deploying AI that makes poor decisions based on flawed information. In this new era, those who prioritise data integrity will be the ones who gain real value from AI." The increase in data staffing at the heart of Parliament reflects a wider cultural shift toward long-term digital resilience, ensuring that public institutions are equipped to harness AI ethically and effectively. Richard Bovey, Head of Data at AND Digital, says, "The House of Commons is leading the way for data investment, with 66% of businesses agreeing that data investment is a top priority for their organisation, according to our recent Data Loyalty research. This move signals a long-term commitment to data-driven governance at the heart of the public sector. "As the UK advances its position as a global leader in science and technology, building in-house data capability is vital, not only to unlock innovation, but also to safeguard, embedded from the ground up, enabling institutions to innovate responsibly. "But data alone isn't enough. Organisational culture plays a crucial role in turning insight into impact and a culture that truly values curiosity, empathy, and accountability is what transforms data points into better decisions and more meaningful outcomes. By investing in its data workforce, the House of Commons is laying a robust foundation for smarter, more ethical, and future-ready public services. It's a necessary step toward creating a public sector that is both digitally progressive and aligned with democratic values."

Colovore appoints infrastructure veteran as CEO

Colovore, a leader in ultra-high-density, liquid cooling colocation solutions, today announced the appointment of Jeffrey Springborn as Chief Executive Officer. A seasoned operator in data centre development and cloud services, Jeffrey intends to guide the company through its next phase of growth as it scales a national buildout strategy across the USA to meet rising demand for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure. Jeffrey joins Colovore on the heels of a $925 million financing facility with Blackstone to fuel expansion of its AI data centre platform in key US metro markets. Driven by strong demand for mission-critical infrastructure that supports enterprise planning and multi-market deployments, Colovore is expanding into key US metro markets. New high-density, liquid-cooled facilities are being developed to align with customer roadmaps, enabling partners to secure capacity and shape infrastructure rollouts that match long-term AI and HPC growth. “AI infrastructure needs are evolving faster than most data centres can adapt,” says Jeffrey Springborn, the new CEO of Colovore. “Colovore is building what tomorrow demands—today. The customers we’re partnering with aren’t just early adopters, they’re forward-thinking leaders who see what’s coming and are preparing for it now. They know that to stay ahead in AI, you can’t wait for capacity. You have to secure the right infrastructure before the rush. With the backing of King Street, that’s exactly what we’re enabling them to do.” Colovore Board Chairman and Managing Partner of King Street Capital Brian Higgins comments, ‘"I'm pleased to announce Jeff Springborn as Colovore's new CEO. We identified Jeff as the leader with the right experience to accelerate our growth in the AI infrastructure market. His 30 years of technology leadership and infrastructure expertise will be crucial as we expand our liquid-cooled data centres nationwide. Jeff complements the strong foundation built by Sean and Peter, positioning Colovore to meet the surging demand for AI-ready infrastructure. The Board is confident in Jeff's ability to execute our strategic vision in this next phase of growth." “Smart companies are locking in infrastructure now to avoid being left behind later,” states Jeffrey. “We’re not just building data centres—we’re shaping the AI backbone of tomorrow.” For more from Colovore, click here.