A new report by the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) and EY US found that a majority of state CIOs and chief digital officers (CDOs) consider data quality to be important – particularly when it comes to generative AI – but less than a quarter have a dedicated data quality program.
The report, Is Your State Data Quality Ready for GenAI?, surveyed CIOs and CDOs from 46 states, and found that 95 percent of respondents think increased adoption of AI is impacting data management.
“This report demonstrates that there is a clear imperative for state leaders to implement data quality programs on the path to successful AI integration,” said NASCIO Executive Director Doug Robinson. “Creating a data-centric culture within state CIO offices will help leaders identify patterns that will drive innovation and improve the quality of citizen services.”
The report also found that the biggest barriers cited to maintaining high-quality data are budget constraints, skill shortages, organizational awareness, and competing priorities.
Seventy-two percent of CIOs and CDOs reported low to no alignment of funds budgeted toward data quality initiatives, while a majority of respondents, 83 percent, reported minimum budgetary alignment. Fifteen percent reported no budgetary alignment.
Additionally, less than half of respondents have a dedicated data management lead, revealing a talent gap in critical data roles to effectively govern data.
“AI technology is set to transform the way state agencies operate and innovate, but success is highly dependent on the quality of the data,” said Chris Estes, EY US state and local technology leader and former CIO for the state of North Carolina. “Prioritizing data quality management and funding is critical to realize the full value of state government AI and technology modernization efforts.”
The report also lays out recommendations for state CIOs and CDOs around managing data quality, including providing data literacy training to the government workforce and implementing formal data governance policies.
