There is a fundamental shift in how organisations are approaching data, from simply collecting more data to using data more intelligently, a new report by Altron Digital Business shows.

The inaugural ‘Data Trends Update’, compiled by Altron Digital Business’ data and AI teams, revealed five themes reshaping how organisations collect, process and leverage data for competitive advantage.

As organisations face exploding data volumes and expanding user demands, the challenge has evolved from data scarcity to making the right decisions with the data available.

“What we are seeing across our customer base is a clear demand for strategic data leadership that connects people, technology and decision-making through clean, governed and timely data pipelines.

“Organisations that master the five themes identified in our update will unlock sustainable competitive advantage in an increasingly data-driven economy,” said Altron Digital Business managed services executive Mike Wright.

The five critical themes identified in the report include the democratisation of data access with enhanced security requirements; the challenge of organising exploding data volumes from diverse sources; the shift from analytics to actionable intelligence; the re-evaluation of cloud economics; and the elevation of regulatory compliance from a checkbox exercise to a competitive differentiator.

He highlighted the emphasis on ethical data practices and governance, especially as South African businesses navigate stringent regulations, including the Protection of Personal Information Act, which carries potential fines of up to R10-million for serious non-compliance. 

“The report underscores that while data may be the new oil, its value only emerges when properly sourced, refined, managed and made accessible to users,” Wright commented.

“Altron's findings suggest that organisations successfully navigating these themes are those that democratise access, activate intelligence at the point of action, optimise cloud economics and govern ethically.”

The second part of Altron's Data Trends Update will be released in the fourth quarter of 2025, providing further insights into emerging patterns and technologies shaping the South African data landscape.