By 2028, 60% of enterprises will collaborate on data through private data exchanges or clean rooms, according to IDC’s 2026 FutureScapes predictions. This shift isn’t just a technical evolution—it’s a strategic one.
Why Data Collaboration Matters Even More Now
For years, we’ve called data the foundation of digital business. AI needs more and more data ‘fuel’ to train models, to ground outputs and to generate process and enterprise-specific responses. No one enterprise can create – or even independently curate – all the data it needs. It is time to lean into ecosystems (and data providers) who can expanding value through partnership. With new tooling this data is accessible securely and transparently between organizations in environments where governance is built in and privacy is preserved.
AI Demands Better Data
Generative and agentic AI systems thrive on diverse, contextual, high-quality data. Private data exchanges and clean rooms are emerging as the bridge between innovation and regulation—spaces where enterprises collaborate responsibly without exposing sensitive information. As highlighted in IDC’s Worldwide Data and Analytics 2026 Predictions, these environments are becoming essential bridges between innovation and regulation—spaces where collaboration is not only possible, but also safe.
Real-World Examples
- Healthcare: Providers combine anonymized data sets to accelerate breakthroughs in personalized medicine.
- Finance: Institutions partner to improve fraud detection while maintaining customer confidentiality.
- Retail: Brands join forces to understand customers holistically, creating richer experiences without compromising trust.
A Mindset Shift
This isn’t just about technology—it’s about rethinking data strategy:
- From owning all the data → to identifying the right data partners
- From guarding information → to governing it
- From isolation → to collaboration
Advances in privacy-enhancing technologies make this possible, turning fragmented information into collective intelligence.
Lead With Trust
Success in data collaboration depends on transparency, shared principles, and clear accountability. Organizations that invest now will strengthen AI outcomes and help define ethical, interoperable data standards for the next decade.
The goal isn’t just to manage data—it’s to make it meaningful.
In the agentic AI era, no organization operates alone. The future belongs to those who share wisely.
