Chapter 1: Introduction to Company Culture Transformation

In today's fast-paced business world, understanding what it means to be "AI-first" and the significance of data exchanges is crucial. This weekly digest serves as your go-to source for the latest trends in data, AI, and analytics. Each week, we sift through the most relevant stories and highlight what's trending in the industry.

For those who prefer visual content, you can WATCH the Weekly Vlog here. If you’re pressed for time, you can also LISTEN to the Weekly Podcast here.

Additionally, as a special treat, we have a downloadable slide deck with all the resources and links related to this post. Feel free to scroll down and grab it for FREE to share with your colleagues!

Now, let’s dive into this week’s top five stories regarding Data, AI, and Analytics!

1 — Best Practices in Analytics from PayPal

Discover insights into PayPal’s cloud modernization journey, which involves managing over 20 petabytes of data for more than 3,000 users. This case study outlines practical strategies to adopt, common pitfalls to avoid, and the advantages of cloud technology, built-in machine learning, and streaming capabilities. Read more about it here.

2 — Transitioning to an AI-First Organization

Learn how Tokopedia, a leading global online marketplace, connects 10 million merchants with 100 million customers monthly. Herman Widjaja, the CTO, shares his experiences and three essential lessons for becoming an AI-first company:

1. Prioritize data to foster an AI-first mentality.
2. Center your operations around AI.
3. Ensure AI's benefits extend to all employees, not just data specialists.

3 — The Dynamics of Changing Company Culture

An insightful discussion from IDEO’s Bryan Walker and Sarah A. Soule emphasizes that culture change is not simply a top-down directive. Instead, it necessitates a grassroots movement. While the article presents a well-argued case, I believe it falls into the “either/or” trap. Based on research conducted for my co-authored book "Drive Business Performance," I found that successful culture transformation requires both a strong executive mandate and grassroots support. Without respect from leadership, any movement is doomed to fail. Conversely, a mandate ignored by the workforce will also lead to failure. What are your thoughts on this matter? Share your insights!

4 — Survey of the Week: What’s Most Important?

When selecting a new data analytics system to enhance your infrastructure, which attributes are most critical: Speed, Scale, Security, or Simplicity? Nearly 9,000 individuals have participated in this survey. Cast your vote and see the results here!

5 — Monthly Recap: Key Highlights

Catch up with Bernard Marr for a summary of significant developments from the past month, including augmented reality, analytics exchanges, data fabric, and must-read data books. You can view the recap here.

EXTRAS: Recognizing Analytics Leaders

I recently spoke with two outstanding Chief Data Officers about the importance of centralization, the effective deployment of machine learning, and considerations around security and governance.

The Rise of Data Exchanges with Eric Kavanagh on DM Radio. Discover more insights here.