In this episode of The Enterprise Applications Podcast, hosts Melody Brue and Robert Kramer dive into the transformative power of IBM watsonx.data, live from IBM Think in Boston. They discuss how enterprises can unlock the potential of generative AI by addressing one of the biggest challenges in AI adoption- managing vast and complex unstructured data. From new IBM features to real-world success stories, they unpack what enterprises need to do beyond technology to fully embrace AI at scale.

🚀 Scaling AI with watsonx.data

• IBM has positioned watsonx.data as a key platform for enterprise AI adoption.

• With 90% of enterprise data being unstructured, businesses are barely utilizing 1% of it- watsonx.data solves this by making fragmented data usable.

• The platform integrates data from hybrid cloud and on-premise sources into a unified lakehouse, enabling AI models to leverage enterprise-specific information.

🛠 New IBM Features for 2025

• watsonx.data intelligence: Enhances AI-driven insights for structured and unstructured data.

• watsonx.data integration: Streamlines data connectivity and governance for AI adoption.

• Db Assistant: Provides automation and AI-powered data management capabilities.

• Expanded focus on AI readiness- helping companies structure and clean data for better AI performance.

💼 Beyond Technology: The Role of AI Readiness

• AI adoption isn’t just about the tech—it requires change management and data preparation.

• Enterprises need clean, categorized data before AI can maximize its value.

• Readiness includes company culture shifts, innovation aptitude, and process adjustments to fully leverage generative AI.

🔥 IBM’s Message at Think 2025: The Urgency to Modernize

• The time to embrace automation and AI is now- manual processes won’t sustain long-term competitiveness.

• AI and automation reduce operational complexity, helping enterprises unlock new efficiencies.

• IBM’s push for AI-driven enterprise transformation highlights the importance of data readiness as the foundation for success.