Sponsored by: Actian | Scaling AI: Why Data Products and Contracts are the Essential Foundation for Success

Actian reasons that scaling AI is inherently risky and often fails without the foundational implementation of data products and data contracts. Currently, 95% of Gen AI initiatives deliver zero ROI, and Gartner predicts that 40% of agentic AI programs are predicted to be canceled by 2027 due to poor data quality, siloes, and a lack of governance. To bridge this gap, Actian defines data products as curated, reusable datasets managed as independent assets, supported by data contracts — formal agreements between data producers and consumers regarding schemas and quality thresholds. According to a 2026 survey of 300+ leaders, organizations with company-wide data products are 3.4x more likely to have multiple AI projects in production and 3.3x more likely to successfully deploy agentic AI. By embracing these frameworks, enterprises can de-risk their AI investments and achieve the high-level data integrity required for autonomous success.