Sujay Dutta and Sidd Rajagopal, authors of "Data as the Fourth Pillar," join the show to make the compelling case that for C-suite leaders obsessed with AI, data must be elevated to the same level as people, process, and technology. They provide a practical playbook for Chief Data Officers (CDOs) to escape the "cost center" trap by focusing on the "demand side" (business value) instead of just the "supply side" (technology). They also introduce frameworks like "Data Intensity" and "Total Addressable Value (TAV)" for data. We also tackle the reality of AI "slopware" and the "Great Pacific garbage patch" of junk data , explaining how to build the critical "context" (or "Data Intelligence Layer") that most GenAI projects are missing. Finally, they explain why the CDO must report directly to the CEO to play "offense," not defense.

Reason why Data should be the Fourth Pillar for every enterprise. The Board, CEOs, and CxOs must understand why they should treat data strategically. Enterprises’ use cases like AI drive the need for data high in quality, compliance, and speed dimensions. 

- Present a framework for enterprises to understand their current data challenges. 

- Key principles for the data pillar 

- Role of the Chief Data Officer (CDO) - nurture demand for data while taking steps to fulfill the supply of demand through an agile data operating model (DOM). The DOM enabled by people, processes, and technologies. 

- Measuring the impact provided by the data pillar, introduce KPIs such as Total Addressable Value through data (TAV) and Expected Addressable Value through data (EAV). 

- A Maturity Framework for every enterprise to track and progress its data maturity journey.