{"id":23030,"date":"2026-04-09T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/?p=23030"},"modified":"2026-04-09T09:34:58","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T16:34:58","slug":"harnessing-ai-how-a-data-council-is-powering-our-unified-data-strategy-at-microsoft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/harnessing-ai-how-a-data-council-is-powering-our-unified-data-strategy-at-microsoft\/","title":{"rendered":"Harnessing AI: How a data council is powering our unified data strategy at Microsoft"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Information technology is an ever-evolving landscape. Artificial Intelligence is accelerating that evolution, providing employees with unprecedented access to information and insights. Data-driven decision making has never been more critical for businesses to achieve their goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In light of this priority, we have established a Microsoft Digital Data Council to help accelerate our companywide AI-powered transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our data council is a cross-functional team with representation from multiple domains within Microsoft, including Microsoft Digital, the company\u2019s IT organization; Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs (CELA); and Finance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2026\/04\/Naval-Tripathi.png\" alt=\"A photo of Tripathi.\" class=\"wp-image-23034\" style=\"width:150px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2026\/04\/Naval-Tripathi.png 500w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2026\/04\/Naval-Tripathi-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2026\/04\/Naval-Tripathi-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBy championing robust data governance, literacy, and responsible data practices, our data council is a crucial part of our AI-powered transformation. It turns enterprise data into a strategic capability that fuels predictive insights and intelligent outcomes across the organization.\u201d<\/p>\n<cite>Naval Tripathi, principal engineering manager, Microsoft Digital<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our data council\u2019s mission is to drive transformative business impact by establishing a cohesive data strategy across Microsoft Digital, empowering interconnected analytics and AI at scale. Our vision is to guide our organization toward Frontier Firm maturity through a clear blueprint for high-quality, reliable, AI-ready data delivered on trusted, scalable platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-group aside-for-guide has-white-200-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-content-justification-right is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-3f1abf08 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"border-radius:10px;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-12);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-12);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-12);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-12)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-298f84b7 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"132\" height=\"132\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/10\/Engage-with-our-experts_blogs.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-20636\" style=\"width:48px\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-body-lg-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Engage with our experts!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-4)\">Customers or Microsoft account team representatives from Fortune 500 companies are welcome to <a href=\"mailto:msitstaff@microsoft.com\">request a virtual engagement<\/a> on this topic with experts from our Microsoft Digital team.<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBy championing robust data governance, literacy, and responsible data practices, our data council is a crucial part of our AI-powered transformation,\u201d says Naval Tripathi, principal engineering manager in Microsoft Digital. \u201cIt turns enterprise data into a strategic capability that fuels predictive insights and intelligent outcomes across the organization.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Enterprise IT maturity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This article is part of series on Enterprise IT maturity in the era of agents. We recommend reading all four of these articles to gain a comprehensive view of how your organization can transform with the help of AI and become a Frontier Firm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/becoming-a-frontier-firm-our-it-playbook-for-the-ai-era\/\">Becoming a Frontier Firm: Our IT playbook for the AI era<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/enterprise-ai-maturity-in-five-steps-our-guide-for-it-leaders\/\">Enterprise AI maturity in five steps: Our guide for IT leaders<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/the-agentic-future-how-were-becoming-an-ai-first-frontier-firm-at-microsoft\/\">The agentic future: How we\u2019re becoming an AI-first Frontier Firm at Microsoft<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">AI at scale: How we\u2019re transforming our enterprise IT operations at Microsoft (this story)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Our evolving data strategy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over the past two decades, we at Microsoft\u2014along with other large enterprises\u2014have continuously evolved our data strategies in search of the right balance between control and agility. Early approaches were highly decentralized, with different teams owning and managing their own data assets. While this enabled local optimization, it also resulted in inconsistent quality and limited enterprise-wide insight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our subsequent shift toward centralized data platforms brought much-needed standardization, security, and scalability. However, as data platforms grew more sophisticated, ownership often drifted away from the business domains closest to the data, slowing responsiveness and diluting accountability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, we and other leading companies are embracing a more balanced, federated approach, often described as a data mesh. Rather than forcing all our data into a single centralized system or allowing unchecked decentralization, the data mesh formalizes domain ownership while embedding governance, quality, and interoperability directly into shared platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With this approach, our domain teams publish data as well-defined, discoverable products, while common standards for security, metadata, and compliance are enforced through automation rather than manual processes. This model preserves enterprise trust and consistency without sacrificing speed or autonomy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By adopting a data mesh mindset, we can scale analytics and AI more effectively across the organization while still keeping ownership closely connected to the business focus. The result is a system that supports innovation at the edges, strong governance at the core, and seamless collaboration across domains, enabling the transformation of data from a technical asset to a strategic, enterprise-wide capability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Quality, accessibility, and governance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To scale enterprise data and AI, organizations must first ensure their data is trusted, discoverable, and responsibly governed. At Microsoft Digital, our data strategy is designed to create data foundations that power intelligent applications and effective decision making across the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"550\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2026\/04\/Miguel-Aribe.png\" alt=\"A photo of Uribe.\" class=\"wp-image-23035\" style=\"width:150px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2026\/04\/Miguel-Aribe.png 500w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2026\/04\/Miguel-Aribe-273x300.png 273w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHigh-quality, well-governed data is essential to accelerate implementation and adoption of AI tools. Data quality, accessibility, and governance are imperatives for AI systems to function effectively, and recognizing that is propelling our data strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n<cite>Miguel Uribe, principal PM manager, Microsoft Digital<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By implementing a data mesh strategy at scale, we aim to unlock valuable data insights and analytics, enabling advanced AI scenarios. Our data council focuses on three core dimensions that make AI-ready data possible:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Quality:<\/strong> Making sure enterprise data is reliable and complete<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Accessibility:<\/strong> Enabling secure and discoverable access to data<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Governance:<\/strong> Protecting and managing our data responsibly<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Together, these dimensions form the foundation for scalable innovation and AI-powered data use. They connect data silos and ensure consistent, high\u2011quality access across the enterprise\u2014enabling both humans and AI systems to work from the same trusted data foundation. As AI use cases mature, this foundation allows AI agents to retrieve and reason over data through enterprise endpoints, while supporting advanced analytics, data science, and broader technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHigh-quality, well-governed data is essential to accelerate implementation and adoption of AI tools,\u201d says Miguel Uribe, a principal PM manager in Microsoft Digital. \u201cData quality, accessibility, and governance are imperatives for AI systems to function effectively, and recognizing that is propelling our data strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Quality<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AI-ready data is available, complete, accurate, and high-quality. By adopting this standard, our data scientists, engineers, and even our AI agents are better able to locate, process, and govern the information needed to drive our organization and maximize AI efficiencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By utilizing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/security\/business\/microsoft-purview\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Microsoft Purview<\/a>, our data council can oversee the monitoring of data attributes to ensure fidelity. It also monitors parameters to enforce standards for accuracy and completeness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Accessibility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ensuring that our employees get access to the information they need while prioritizing security is a foundational element of our enterprise data strategy. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/microsoft-fabric\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Microsoft Fabric<\/a> allows us to unify our organization\u2019s siloed data in a single \u201cmesh\u201d that enables advanced analytics, data science, data visualization and other connected scenarios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Microsoft Purview then gives us the ability to democratize that data responsibly. By implementing a data mesh architecture, our employees can work confidently, unencumbered by siloed or inaccessible data, and with the assurance that the data they\u2019re working with is secure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex has-2-columns\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1008\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2026\/04\/Harnessing-AI-Infographic-1024x1008.png\" alt=\"A graphic shows how the data mesh architecture allows employees to access data they need, with platform services and data management zones surrounding this architecture.\" class=\"wp-image-23036\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2026\/04\/Harnessing-AI-Infographic-1024x1008.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2026\/04\/Harnessing-AI-Infographic-300x295.png 300w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2026\/04\/Harnessing-AI-Infographic-768x756.png 768w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2026\/04\/Harnessing-AI-Infographic-1536x1511.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2026\/04\/Harnessing-AI-Infographic.png 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>The data mesh architecture enables our employees to do their work efficiently while preventing the data they\u2019re working on from becoming siloed.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The data mesh<\/strong> connects and distributes data products across domains, enabling shared data access and compute while scaling beyond centralized architectures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Platform services <\/strong>are standardized blueprints that embed security, interoperability, policies, standards, and core capabilities\u2014providing guardrails that enable speed without fragmentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Data management zones<\/strong> provide centralized governance capabilities for policy enforcement, lineage, observability, compliance, and enterprise-wide trust. &nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Governance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As organizations scale AI capabilities, strong governance becomes essential to ensure security, compliance, and ethical data use. Data governance\u2014which includes establishing data policies, ensuring data privacy and security, and promoting ethical AI usage\u2014is critical, as is compliance with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Consumer Data Protection Act (CDPA) regulations, among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, governance is not only a technical capability; it\u2019s also a cultural commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/responsible-ai-why-it-matters-and-how-were-infusing-it-into-our-internal-ai-projects-at-microsoft\/\">Responsible data use<\/a> must be embedded into the way teams manage data and build AI solutions. Through Microsoft Purview, we implemented an end-to-end governance framework that automates the discovery, classification, and protection of sensitive data across the enterprise data landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This unified approach allows teams to innovate confidently, knowing that the data powering their insights and AI systems is trusted and protected, as well as responsibly managed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAI systems are only as reliable as the data that powers them,\u201d Uribe says. \u201cBy investing in trusted and well-managed data, we accelerate not only the adoption of AI tools but our ability to generate meaningful insights and intelligent outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The data catalog as the discovery layer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By serving as a common discovery layer for humans and AI, the data catalog ensures that governance translates directly into speed, accuracy, and trust at scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A unified data strategy only succeeds if both people and AI systems can consistently find the right data. At Microsoft, this is enabled by our enterprise data catalog, which operationalizes the standards set by our data council.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For business users, the catalog provides intuitive search, ownership transparency, and trust signals\u2014enabling confident self\u2011service analytics. For AI agents, the same catalog exposes machine\u2011readable metadata, allowing agents to programmatically discover canonical datasets, validate schema and freshness, and respect governance constraints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Our role as Customer Zero<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Microsoft Digital, we operate as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/inside-microsoft-being-customer-zero-in-an-ai-powered-world\/\">Customer Zero for the company\u2019s enterprise solutions<\/a>, so that our customers don\u2019t have to<strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That means we do more than adopt new products early. We deploy them at enterprise-scale, operate them under real\u2011world constraints, and hold them to the same standards our customers expect. The result is more resilient, ready\u2011to\u2011use solutions and a higher quality bar for every enterprise customer we serve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2026\/04\/Diego-Baccino.png\" alt=\"A photo of Baccino.\" class=\"wp-image-23037\" style=\"width:150px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2026\/04\/Diego-Baccino.png 500w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2026\/04\/Diego-Baccino-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2026\/04\/Diego-Baccino-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhen we engage product teams with real telemetry from how data is created, governed, and consumed at scale, we move the conversation from theory to execution. That\u2019s how enterprise readiness becomes real.\u201d<\/p>\n<cite>Diego Baccino, principal software engineering manager, Microsoft Digital<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our data council embodies this Customer Zero mindset through its Enterprise Readiness initiative. By engaging product engineering as a unified enterprise voice, the council drives strategic conversations that surface operational blockers, influence roadmap prioritization, and ensure new and existing data solutions are truly ready for enterprise use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These learnings are then shared broadly across Microsoft Digital to accelerate adoption, reduce duplication, and scale proven patterns across teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhen we engage product teams with real telemetry from how data is created, governed, and consumed at scale, we move the conversation from theory to execution,\u201d says Diego Baccino, a principal software engineering manager in Microsoft Digital and a member of the council. \u201cThat\u2019s how enterprise readiness becomes real.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This work is deeply integrated with our AI Center of Excellence (CoE), where Customer Zero principles are applied to accelerate AI outcomes responsibly. Together, the AI CoE and the data council focus on improving data documentation and quality\u2014foundational capabilities that are required to make AI feasible, trustworthy, and scalable across the enterprise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By grounding AI innovation in measurable data quality and governance standards, Microsoft Digital ensures that experimentation can safely mature into production\u2011ready solutions. The partnership between our data council, our AI CoE, and our Responsible AI (RAI) Council is essential to our broader data and AI strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAI readiness isn\u2019t aspirational\u2014it\u2019s operational,\u201d Baccino says. \u201cBy measuring the health of our data, setting clear quality baselines, and using those signals to guide product and platform decisions, we turn data into a strategic asset and AI into a repeatable capability.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Together, these teams exemplify what it means to be Customer Zero: Transforming enterprise experience into action, governance into acceleration, and data into durable competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex has-2-columns\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:65px\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"95\" height=\"96\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Learn-how-p-g.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19668\" style=\"width:48px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-4);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-4)\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Learn more<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-4);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-4)\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/deploying-the-employee-self-service-agent-our-blueprint-for-enterprise-scale-success\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/the-ai-revolution-how-microsoft-digital-it-is-responding-with-an-ai-center-of-excellence\/\">Read about our AI Center of Excellence.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Advancing our data culture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our data council plays a pivotal role in advancing the organization transition from data literacy to enterprise data and AI capability. In conjunction with our AI CoE, it creates curricula and sponsors learning pathways, operational practices, and community programs to equip our employees with the skills and mindset required to thrive in a data- and AI-centric world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While early efforts focused on improving data literacy, our data council \u2019s mission has evolved to enable data and AI capability at scale together with our AI CoE\u2014where employees not only understand data but can effectively apply it to build, operate, and govern intelligent solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cOur focus is not just teaching our teams about data. It is enabling employees to apply data to create AI-driven outcomes. When teams understand how data powers AI systems, they can make better decisions, design better products, and build more responsible AI experiences.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<cite><em>Miguel Uribe, principal product manager, Microsoft Digital<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our curriculum includes high-level courses on data concepts, applications, and extensibility of AI tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot, as well as data products like Microsoft Purview and Microsoft Fabric.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By facilitating AI and data training, offering internally focused data and AI certifications, and internal community engagement, our council ensures that employees develop the capabilities required to responsibly build and operate AI-powered solutions. Achieving data and AI certifications not only promotes career development through improved data literacy, it also enhances the broader data-driven culture within our organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe recognize that AI capability is built when data skills are applied directly to real AI scenarios and business outcomes\u2014not when learning exists in isolation,\u201d Uribe says. \u201cOur focus is not just teaching our teams about data; it is enabling employees to apply data to create AI\u2011driven outcomes. When teams understand how data powers AI systems, they can make better decisions, design better products, and build more responsible AI experiences.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex has-2-columns\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:65px\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"95\" height=\"96\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Learn-how-p-g.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19668\" style=\"width:48px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-4);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-4)\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Find out more<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-4);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-4)\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/deploying-the-employee-self-service-agent-our-blueprint-for-enterprise-scale-success\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/enabling-meaningful-ai-adoption-at-microsoft-with-a-microsoft-365-copilot-expo\/\">Learn how a Copilot Expo helped us build interest in Microsoft 365 Copilot.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lessons learned<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our data council was created to develop and execute a cohesive data strategy across Microsoft Digital and to foster a strong data culture within our organization. Over time, several critical lessons have emerged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Executive sponsorship enables transformation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Executive sponsorship is a key element to ensure implementation and adoption of a data strategy. Our leaders are committed to delivering and sustaining a robust data strategy and culture and have been effective champions of the council\u2019s work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cLeadership provides support and reinforcement of the council\u2019s mission, as well as guidance and clarity related to diverse organizational priorities,\u201d Baccino says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Cross-functional collaboration accelerates impact<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our council\u2019s work has also benefited from the diverse representation offered by different disciplines across our organization. Embracing diverse perspectives and understanding various organizational priorities is critical to implementing a successful data strategy and culture in a large and complex organization like Microsoft Digital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Modern platforms allow for scalable AI productivity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Technology and architecture also play a critical role in enabling enterprise data and AI capability. Platforms like Microsoft Purview and Microsoft Fabric provide the governance, discovery, and analytics infrastructure required to create trusted, AI-ready data ecosystems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Combined with strong leadership support and community engagement, these platforms allow our organization to move beyond isolated data projects toward connected, enterprise-wide intelligence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As our organization continues to evolve, our data council\u2019s strategic work and valuable insights will be crucial in shaping the future of data-driven decision making and AI transformation at Microsoft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-content-justification-left is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-c0392459 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7db9d80f wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"190\" height=\"190\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Key-takeaways-badge.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19493\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:75px;height:75px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Key-takeaways-badge.png 190w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Key-takeaways-badge-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 190px) 100vw, 190px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-body-xl-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-24);margin-bottom:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-24)\">Key takeaways<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are some things to keep in mind as you contemplate forming a data council to help you manage and scale AI impacts responsibly at your own organization:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>A data mesh strikes the balance enterprises have been chasing.<\/strong> By formalizing domain ownership while enforcing standards through shared platforms, you avoid both chaotic decentralization and slow, over-centralized control.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Governance is an accelerator when it\u2019s automated and embedded.<\/strong> Using platforms like Microsoft Purview and Microsoft Fabric, governance shifts from a manual gatekeeping function to a built\u2011in capability that enables faster, trusted analytics and AI.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>AI systems are only as strong as their discovery layer.<\/strong> A unified enterprise data catalog allows both people and AI agents to find, trust, and use data consistently\u2014turning standards into operational speed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Customer Zero turns theory into enterprise\u2011ready execution.<\/strong> By operating its own data and AI platforms at scale, Microsoft Digital provides real telemetry and practical feedback that directly shapes product readiness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Building AI capability is a cultural effort, not just a technical one.<\/strong> Our data council\u2019s focus on applied learning, certification, and real-world AI scenarios ensures data skills translate into durable business outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>AI scale exposes the cost of fragmented data ownership.<\/strong> A data council cuts through silos by aligning priorities, resolving tradeoffs, and concentrating investment on the data assets that matter most for AI impact.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>Shared metrics create shared ownership.<\/strong> Publishing data quality and AI\u2011readiness scores at the leadership level reinforces accountability and positions data as a core enterprise asset.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-content-justification-left is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-c0392459 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7db9d80f wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"190\" height=\"190\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Try-it-out-badge.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19492\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:75px;height:75px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Try-it-out-badge.png 190w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Try-it-out-badge-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 190px) 100vw, 190px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-body-xl-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-24);margin-bottom:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-24)\">Try it out<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/microsoft-365-copilot?OCID=InsideTrack_Product_10849\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New to Microsoft 365 Copilot? Check it out!<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-content-justification-left is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-c0392459 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7db9d80f wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"190\" height=\"190\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Related-links-badge.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19491\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:75px;height:75px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Related-links-badge.png 190w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Related-links-badge-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 190px) 100vw, 190px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-body-xl-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-24);margin-bottom:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-24)\">Related links<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-20)\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/guiding-hands-inside-the-councils-steering-ai-projects-at-microsoft\/\">Learn more about the councils that are steering AI projects at Microsoft.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/how-were-tackling-microsoft-365-copilot-governance-internally-at-microsoft\/\">See how we\u2019re tackling Microsoft 365 Copilot governance internally at Microsoft.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/unlocking-enterprise-ai-extensibility-at-microsoft-with-microsoft-copilot-studio\/\">Explore how we\u2019re unlocking enterprise AI extensibility at Microsoft with Microsoft Copilot Studio.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/ai-powered-agents-in-action-how-were-embracing-this-new-agentic-moment-at-microsoft\/\">See AI-powered agents in action: How we\u2019re embracing this new \u2018agentic\u2019 moment at Microsoft.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-content-justification-left is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-c0392459 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7db9d80f wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-right:0;padding-left:0\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"190\" height=\"190\" src=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Wed-like-to-hear-from-you-badge.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19490\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:75px;height:75px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Wed-like-to-hear-from-you-badge.png 190w, https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/uploads\/prod\/2025\/07\/Wed-like-to-hear-from-you-badge-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 190px) 100vw, 190px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-body-xl-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-24);margin-bottom:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-24)\">We&#8217;d like to hear from you!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--spacing-20)\" class=\"wp-block-list is-style-list-no-bullets\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"mailto:msitstaff@microsoft.com\">Want more information? Email us and include a link to this story and we\u2019ll get back to you.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Information technology is an ever-evolving landscape. Artificial Intelligence is accelerating that evolution, providing employees with unprecedented access to information and insights. Data-driven decision making has never been more critical for businesses to achieve their goals. In light of this priority, we have established a Microsoft Digital Data Council to help accelerate our companywide AI-powered transformation. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":23032,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_hide_featured_on_single":false,"_show_featured_caption_on_single":true,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[71,882],"tags":[199,868,900,331,820,850,853,237,852,263,827,849,848,870],"coauthors":[138],"class_list":["post-23030","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-it-strategy","tag-ai","tag-ai-deployment-and-adoption","tag-ai-governance","tag-data-and-ai","tag-device-management","tag-end-user-services-and-support","tag-enterprise-data","tag-governance","tag-it-and-business-operations","tag-microsoft-365","tag-microsoft-365-copilot","tag-network-and-infrastructure","tag-security-and-risk-management","tag-works-councils","m-blog-post"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - 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