Stand Up and Run? Or Crawl First? Getting Your Data Ready for AI — Securely and Strategically

[shazza72]

There’s a lot of excitement around AI right now and the potential is massive.

BUT here’s the reality: 

If your data isn’t ready, AI won’t deliver.

In fact, it could create more problems than it solves. What do you think?

I’ve been in many conversations to know that many teams want to “stand up and run” with AI. But when we look under the hood—at CMDB health, data governance, security posture—it’s clear they’re not ready to run. Not yet!

So how do you know when to crawl, walk, run, or fly?

And how do platforms like data.world and a healthy CMDB help you get there?

Start with the Foundation: Data, Context, and Security
AI needs more than just data—it needs trusted, contextual, and secure data. That means:
- Your CMDB is accurate and reflects your real-world environment.
- Your data is discoverable, documented, and accessible—but only to the right people.
- You’ve got security and compliance built in from the start.

This is where data.world comes in. Since being acquired by ServiceNow in May 2025, it’s become a key part of the platform’s strategy to help customers get their data AI-ready. It’s not just about finding data—it’s about understanding it, governing it, and making it usable for AI.

Governance is non-negotiable. Without clear ownership, policies, and accountability, data becomes a liability instead of an asset. Good governance ensures that data is not only accurate and secure, but also aligned with business goals and regulatory requirements. Platforms like data.world make it easier to embed governance into everyday workflows—so teams can move fast without compromising trust.

And when we talk about Agentic AI (AI that can act on your behalf) you need to be confident that your data is clean, secure, and rich with context.

Crawl: Clean Up and Get Aligned
This is your preparation phase. You’re not trying to boil the ocean—just get the basics right.
- Fix your CMDB: Remove duplicates, fill in gaps, and align it with what’s actually running in your environment.
- Catalog your data: Use data.world to document key datasets, define ownership, and tag sensitive information.
- Secure your foundation: Classify data, apply role-based access, and make sure you’re compliant with regulations like GDPR or HIPAA.
Start small. Pick one use case—maybe asset lifecycle prediction or automated ticket routing—and make sure the data behind it is solid.

Walk: Build Momentum (Securely)
Now that you’ve got some wins under your belt, it’s time to scale.
- Use data.world to create semantic layers that reflect how your business actually works.
- Integrate your CMDB with incident, change, and observability systems to keep it fresh and useful.
- Start using AI for predictive insights, but only where the data quality and security posture support it.
This is also the time to embed security into your workflows. Think encryption, audit trails, and automated policy enforcement.

Run: Operationalize AI
At this point, AI becomes part of how you operate—not just a side project.
- Your CMDB is dynamic and integrated.
- Your data catalog is the go-to place for trusted, governed data.
- AI is embedded in workflows—automating root cause analysis, forecasting capacity, or even triaging incidents.
And because you’ve built with security in mind, you’re not constantly firefighting compliance issues or access risks.

Fly: Embrace Agentic AI
This is where things get exciting. You’re not just using AI; you’re innovating with it.
- Autonomous infrastructure management
- Generative AI for knowledge and content
- Real-time decision-making based on federated, secure data

With data.world and a healthy CMDB in place, you’ve got the foundation to support Agentic AI (AI that can act on your behalf, safely and intelligently)

ServiceNow’s acquisition of data.world is a big signal here. It’s not just about data cataloging—it’s about enabling secure, governed, and contextual data for AI agents to operate with confidence.

Final Thoughts
If your data is clean, your CMDB is healthy, and your security posture is strong—you might be ready to run. Maybe even fly.

But if you’re still dealing with silos, stale records, or unclear ownership, it’s okay to crawl first. In fact, it’s the smart move.

AI success isn’t about speed. It’s about readiness, trust, and security.

[Ratnakar Pandey]

Brilliantly written, Shalini 🙂 One of the best articles I have seen off late on one of the most crucial aspects for AI journey, i.e. Data readiness, kudos to you !