Data modernization in 2026 isn’t “move reports to the cloud”—it’s building a lakehouse-driven, productizable data estate where structured, unstructured, and operational data is discoverable, trustworthy, and ready for AI. This session tackles the paradox CIOs face: how to deliver visible value quickly while establishing non-negotiable governance from day one. We’ll share real customer stories that show how organizations phased their journeys, avoided costly and compliance pitfalls, and translated modernization into measurable business outcomes.

We’ll also unpack AI’s dual role: not only as a consumer of modern data, but as an accelerator of modernization itself—auto-classifying data, enriching metadata, suggesting quality rules, and monitoring pipelines. You’ll leave with a clear framing of “governance vs. speed,” the architectural patterns that are winning now (lakehouse, data products, semantic layers), and an action plan you can start this quarter.

Key Takeaways:

· Modernization, redefined: What “good” looks like in 2026 (lakehouse, open table formats, data products, semantic/lineage by design).

· Governance vs. speed playbook: Which controls are non-negotiable on day one (identity/RBAC, landing zones, classification, ownership, audit) and what to “govern as you scale” (quality, lineage depth, lifecycle/cost, access workflows).

· AI’s transformative role: How AI both uses modern data (copilots, RAG) and accelerates modernization (metadata, DQ, anomaly detection).

· Patterns that worked: Lessons from real customer implementations — what worked, what didn’t.