By 2027, 60% of organisations that fail to address cultural challenges associated with data and analytics (D&A) governance will be unsuccessful in governing artificial intelligence (AI), according to a prediction by Gartner. The research and advisory firm identified organisational culture as a factor influencing the adoption and sustainability of data governance practices. This includes the mindsets, behaviours and organisational norms that determine how governance policies are implemented across an organisation.
A Gartner survey of 223 D&A leaders conducted in March 2026 found that cultural resistance was cited more frequently than funding constraints as a reason for governance initiatives failing, at 60% compared with 40%.
According to Gartner, challenges such as low data-driven maturity, limited stakeholder understanding of the value of governance and insufficient business engagement can hinder the implementation of governance programmes and affect organisations’ ability to establish trusted data foundations for AI.
“AI has amplified the importance of getting data governance foundations right, but many organisations remain focused on policy creation and technology enablement while overlooking the cultural aspects that are critical to the scaled and sustained operationalisation of those policies,” said Anurag Raj, Director Analyst at Gartner. Raj added that data governance efforts need to be accompanied by the development of a data-driven organisational culture.
Gartner identified a need for organisations to expand their focus beyond preparing data for AI applications to ensuring that stakeholders understand and participate in governance processes. “AI-ready data also requires AI-ready stakeholders who understand the value of trusted data, participate in data governance-related policy management activities, and overall maintain a culture of accountability and trust,” Raj said.
To address these challenges, Gartner recommends that D&A leaders align governance initiatives with business objectives and AI strategies, establish shared accountability between business and technology stakeholders, and integrate governance practices into existing business workflows. The firm also recommends incorporating data literacy, AI literacy and change management into daily operations to support stakeholder participation and the implementation of governance policies.
Gartner’s recommendations place responsibility for data governance across business functions rather than treating it solely as an information technology responsibility. The approach involves linking governance activities to measurable business outcomes to maintain executive engagement and integrating governance requirements into operational processes.
“Future success with AI depends as much on people as it does on technology,” Raj said. Gartner’s prediction indicates that organisations seeking to establish AI governance frameworks will need to address cultural and organisational factors alongside data management policies and technology infrastructure.
