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May 5, 2021

Gartner Data & Analytics Summit Americas: Day 2 Highlights

We are bringing you news and highlights from the Gartner Data & Analytics Summit, taking place this week virtually in the Americas. Below is a collection of the key announcements, and insights coming out of the conference. You can read highlights from Day 1 here.

On Day 2 from the conference, we are highlighting digital ethics, graph analytics and the chief data officer role. Be sure to check this page throughout the day for updates.

Key Announcements

Digital Ethics: From “Why” to “How”

Presented by Frank Buytendijk, Distinguished VP Analyst, Gartner

Digital ethics is becoming a key topic of concern among executives worried about the unintended consequences of their use of data and technology, and in particular, artificial intelligence. In this session, Frank Buytendijk, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner, discussed how data and analytics leaders can operationalize principles and address the dilemmas that come with digital ethics.

Key Takeaways

  • “What we’ve seen in the last two years is that the conversation has shifted from the ‘why’ to the ‘how.’ That is a great sign of progress, because it shows that we’re moving towards a more operational and more practical use of ethics.”
  • “The use of artificial intelligence, and the use of technology in general, should be human-centric and socially beneficial, fair, explainable and transparent, secure and safe, and accountable.”
  • “Ethics is not a topic that lends itself to exhaustive discussion; there are always more questions than there are answers.”
  • “Operationalize your principles by addressing their underlying dilemmas. If you look at AI that needs to be human-centric and socially beneficial, who gets to decide what is socially beneficial?”
  • “If you can create an advisory board with a lot of diversity, the chances that you can circle a dilemma from all kinds of perspectives and come up with perspectives that satisfy multiple needs are much higher.”

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Connecting the Dots: Why Graph Analytics Are Key to Understanding Human and Machine Misbehavior

Presented by Jim Hare, Distinguished VP Analyst, Gartner

Graph analytics links social, location and other data to provide business analysts a more holistic understanding of people, places, and things. In this session, Jim Hare, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner, discussed the types of questions that can be answered when using graph analytics to analyze relationship data, as well as its advantages over traditional analytics. 

Key Takeaways

  • “The way that we understand relationships and connections is through looking at patterns.”
  • “At the most abstract level, what we’re doing with graph analytics is understanding behavior and prescribing actions for different groups. Relationships are the strongest predictor of behavior.”
  • “Gartner predicts that over the next couple years, graph technologies will facilitate more contextualization and improved decision making in more than a third of the organizations worldwide.”
  • “Graph is not a replacement for traditional business intelligence — in fact, it’s complementary.”
  • “The use of graph will grow and even double over the next couple of years, allowing data scientists to become more efficient as part of their AI and data science initiatives.”
  • “Most organizations don’t have a shortage of data; what they have is a shortage of understanding the relevant data and how to apply it to help solve business problems.”

Learn how to use data & analytics to re-engineer decision making in the free Gartner e-book “The Future of Decisions.”

Why Every Organization Should Have a Chief Data Officer

Presented by Andrew White, Distinguished VP Analyst, Gartner

There is proven value in having a chief data officer (CDO). Every organization should have one: the question is not if, but when. In this session, Andrew White, Distinguished VP Analyst at Gartner, discussed what a CDO can help achieve in a given organization and the impacts of not having one. 

Key Takeaways

  • “Using the power of data to drive better decisions is what being a CDO is all about.” 
  • “D&A used to be hidden within IT. Now it’s front and center, with a clearer role for CDOs to marry business strategy and data analytics.”
  • “A digital strategy that does not consider D&A will not scale. Gartner anticipates half of chief digital officers in enterprises without a CDO will need to become the de facto CDO to succeed.”
  • “According to the sixth annual Gartner CDO Survey, defining and implementing a D&A strategy for their organization is the top area of responsibility for CDOs.”
  • “Organizations must ask themselves: Is D&A thought of as a service, as a consulting guide, or as a leadership capability? This is part of the puzzle of setting up a CDO.”
  • “When the CDO is actively and directly involved in setting business priorities, he or she is much more likely to add value to the organization.”
  • “If your organization cares about innovation, you will want a CDO.”

About Gartner

Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT) delivers actionable, objective insight to executives and their teams. Our expert guidance and tools enable faster, smarter decisions and stronger performance on an organization’s mission-critical priorities. To learn more, visit gartner.com.

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