What you need to know from Big Data London 2024

The two-day conference TLDR. Spoiler alert - it features AI, a lot.

With more than 200 talks across two days and 14 theatres, it’s safe to say that there was a lot being said at Big Data London this year. So, we’re here to cut through the noise and bring you the tl;dr of one of Europe’s biggest data expos.

It goes without saying that AI dominated the booths and talks, with everything from top-line overviews of building AI foundations and culture to in-depth discussions around modularity and composability, machine learning and RAG. Unlike last year’s event though, we are now seeing real-world use cases and value. The hype is moving to reality and it’s exciting to see.

Within the noise, we found three key takeaways:

1. Now is not the time to mess with your data
2. Your team is essential
3. Bandwagons are for pop culture, not enterprise tech

Now is not the time to mess with your data

If the talk wasn’t about GenAI itself, it was more than likely about getting your data ready for GenAI. A clear theme between all of these experts was that the time for experimenting with data has passed and businesses need to get a real understanding of their data foundations, and fast!

Fivetran centred on the importance of moving from DIY to AI, Google Cloud focussed on building strong data foundations in an AI era, and St James’ Place highlighted their approach to future-proofing data platforms. 

Now is the time to get the basics right, so you can layer the flashier elements (read AI) on top.

The team is essential

We’ve heard the terms data-driven culture and data culture so many times that they’re starting to lose meaning. However, now is the time that data culture is most important in a business.

Several speakers centered on the value and intrinsic importance of having a data-driven team and culture to harness not only GenAI but also the true value of your data. So, how do we turn data leaders into data advocates?

Adrian Estala of Starburst Data discussed the importance of the power of bringing people into the room when creating genAI/data use cases. Not only do they leave the room feeling good because they’ve built an AI tool, data teams also leave the room knowing what they’re creating is not only fit for purpose but hits everything users need it to.

Fivetran’s Niamh O’Brien doubled down on this, saying that it is the data practitioners who will shape how GenAI is deployed in the enterprise.

Ultimately, real value is found at the intersection of business and data, and data culture helps us achieve that goal.

Bandwagons are for pop culture, not enterprise tech

Whilst AI may be the hot topic that everyone wants to talk about, it doesn’t mean that every GenAI tool is the perfect fit for your business.

A common theme throughout the entire conference was that data and AI are fundamentally intertwined. Without good data, you can’t have good AI. It’s really that simple.

So jumping straight onto the AI bandwagon without properly considering the right use cases, tools, and - most importantly - your data is a recipe for disaster. 

Rather than wanting to keep up with the latest trends, pause. Get your data in check. Get your data culture in check. Look at what fundamentals you need to have in place to make AI successful in your organization and build from there.

Bonus takeaway:

The data space is constantly evolving and accelerating. That puts everyone working in the industry at risk of burnout. The main keynote at the event dug into Data in Sports, with guests including Olympic athlete Sir Chris Hoy. In this session, the focus was brought back to us as individuals on how to manage high-pressure situations and ever-growing workloads. 

Here were the takeaways:

• Focus on yourself and the process of being the best you can be. Awesome results follow.
• The chimp inside us all! Read The Chimp Paradox and learn how to control that monkey.
• Control the controllable. Learn to live with the rest.
• Illness and injury plagues us. Look after yourself as a priority.

We’d love to hear your takeaways from the event, share with us on LinkedIn tagging Matillion.