EDB says AI sovereignty is a people strategy and only 13% of enterprises are ready
Summary
The EDB emphasizes that while robots won't replace human workers, neglecting reskilling could be detrimental. With only 13% of enterprises prepared for AI integration, the focus on AI sovereignty as a people strategy is crucial for future success.
Key Insights
What does AI sovereignty mean, and why is it considered a people strategy?
AI sovereignty refers to an organization's ability to develop, deploy, and govern artificial intelligence systems while maintaining complete control over infrastructure, data, models, and operations within their legal and strategic boundaries[2]. It is considered a people strategy because successful AI sovereignty implementation requires significant workforce development across multiple disciplines. Organizations must invest in skills in AI, cybersecurity, and compliance to ensure sovereignty strategies can be executed effectively[1]. This means reskilling and upskilling employees to understand and manage the complex dependencies between data, platforms, and AI systems, rather than simply adopting AI tools without understanding their implications[5].
Why are only 13% of enterprises prepared for AI integration, and what are the main barriers?
The low readiness rate reflects significant organizational challenges in implementing AI sovereignty. Key barriers include the need for comprehensive workforce development across AI, cybersecurity, and compliance disciplines[1], the complexity of managing critical dependencies in data and AI-driven IT environments[5], and the requirement to implement sophisticated governance frameworks such as AI Bill of Materials (AI-BOM) tracking systems that document all models, datasets, tools, and third-party services[2]. Additionally, organizations must redesign their enterprise architecture to support jurisdiction-aware data placement, auditable AI systems, and transparent decision-making processes—capabilities that require substantial technical and organizational transformation[1]. Without addressing these people-focused and structural challenges, enterprises struggle to move beyond minimum regulatory compliance to achieve true AI sovereignty.