AI is reshaping industries, but without the right data mindset, it won’t go far. Everyone’s trying to launch AI, be it predictive models, LLMs, or anything else. But when projects stall, the model is rarely the problem. The issues are upstream: messy data, unclear ownership, or mismatched expectations.
Data engineers used to be behind-the-scenes builders. Now they’re front and centre in AI delivery. But the bar’s higher. Moving data isn’t enough. You have to own what happens next, and that means thinking like a product manager.