Why data literacy is essential - and elusive - for business leaders in the AI age

gremlin/Getty Images Fewer than half of business leaders say their data strategies -- how data is collected, managed, stored, and accessed -- are completely aligned with their business priorities. That's according to a 2025 Salesforce survey of more than 550 US senior business leaders of companies with at least 500 employees across multiple industries. The number is down 14% from 2023. Also: Your data's probably not ready for AI - here's how to make it trustworthy The rising importance of data-driven decision-making is clear but elusive. However, the trust in the data underpinning these decisions is falling. Business leaders do not feel equipped to find, analyze, and interpret the data they need in an increasingly competitive business environment. The added complexity is the convergence of macro and micro uncertainties -- including economic, political, financial, technological, competitive landscape, and talent shortage variables. All told, these are placing enormous pressure on b ... Read full article.