Qlik®, a global leader in data integration, data quality, analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI), has released new research revealing a significant gap between the strategic importance organizations place on AI and their ability to operationalize it effectively. The findings come as investor pressure mounts for measurable returns on AI initiatives, highlighting the urgency to turn AI ambition into real-world results.

The survey, conducted in April 2025 among 500 business leaders, found that:

  • Nearly 87% of respondents see executing with AI as essential to their competitive strategy.
  • About 74% cite infrastructure costs, disconnected data silos, or slow data ingestion as top barriers to scaling AI.
  • Seven in ten organizations struggling with data integration point to complex toolchains and fragmented data sources as primary obstacles.

The urgency is even higher among younger executives: 99% of leaders aged 25–34 consider proactive automation critical to success, compared to 83% of those aged 55 and older. Additionally, professionals aged 35–44 are nearly twice as likely as their older counterparts (55+) to fully trust AI-generated insights (48% vs. 24%).

“Organizations clearly recognize that merely investing in AI is insufficient; what matters now is delivering tangible outcomes,” said Mike Capone, CEO of Qlik. “Yet, as our research underscores, the road to production AI remains blocked by persistent hurdles—cost, complexity, and data fragmentation. Qlik is focused on closing this execution gap by enabling what really matters: customers using AI to solve real problems, at real scale, right now.”

The study also highlights a trust gap within organizations. While 88% of executives express at least moderate confidence in AI insights, only 42% have full, audit-ready trust. C-suite executives are 31% more likely than directors to express complete trust (48% vs. 37%).

To address these challenges, Qlik unveiled new capabilities at its annual Qlik Connect event, including a new agentic experience and the Qlik Open Lakehouse. These solutions aim to remove the barriers identified in the survey by creating unified, trusted data environments for seamless AI workflow integration and greater operational agility.

“Closing the AI execution gap requires more than aspiration—it demands practical solutions that simplify data integration, ensure governance, and empower better decision-making,” Capone added. “Our customers are already proving that when AI execution is done right, it can fundamentally transform their ability to compete and innovate.”

To explore the full survey insights and view Qlik Connect 2025 keynotes and sessions on-demand, visit Qlik.com.

For more updates, visit TechMediaGlobal.