A wake-up call for business leaders who think AI adoption is just about buying the right tools.  

Working here at eSHARE with Fortune 100 companies, I've noticed a pattern: the organizations that struggle most with AI aren't the ones with outdated technology-they're the ones drowning in their own data. Gartner's new research “3 Principles for Effective Information Governance” finally put words to what I've been seeing firsthand. They argue that information management has become a business-critical function that can make or break your competitive advantage.

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The Problem Nobody Wants to Talk About

Most organizations generate more data than ever but get less value from it. Every  message,  recording, and shared document creates what Gartner calls "digital noise”-Information that's fragmented, duplicated, and untrustworthy. We see this constantly: companies invest millions in AI tools like Microsoft Copilot, expecting immediate gains. Instead, they get inconsistent results because the AI is trained on messy, ungoverned data. The promise of intelligent automation becomes automated chaos.

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Three Principles That Actually Work

Gartner identifies three principles that separate successful organizations from those stuck in data purgatory:

• Establish clear ownership. Most companies can't tell you who's responsible for information quality. IT points to business units, business units point to compliance, and nobody owns the problem.

• Build governance into existing systems. Embed policies and automation directly into collaboration tools people already use. Make governance invisible and automatic.

• Treat governance as ongoing. Business needs change constantly. Your governance must adapt through continuous auditing and adjustment.

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Why AI Makes This Urgent

AI doesn't just amplify capabilities-it amplifies problems. Feed an AI system bad data, and it confidently delivers bad insights at scale. I call this "garbage in, garbage amplified." Traditional BI tools might surface inconsistent reports a human could spot-check. AI systems use that data to make automated decisions, send communications, and interact with customers. The stakes are exponentially higher.

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From Principles to Fabric

This is why at eSHARE we don’t see governance as a checklist: it’s a Trusted Collaboration Fabric. A framework woven directly into Microsoft 365, where ownership, automation, and adaptability aren’t add-ons but built into everyday workflows. When governance is embedded into collaboration itself, information becomes accurate, pertinent, and trusted (APT) by default. That’s the foundation enterprises need if they want AI to scale securely, unlock productivity, and meet compliance without slowing teams down.

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The Bottom Line

AI-readiness isn’t about the latest LLMs. It’s about having information you can trust. Organizations that weave governance into their collaboration fabric will move fastest into the AI-powered future. The question isn’t whether you need better information governance-it’s whether you’ll act before your competitors do.