IDC MarketScape for Data Intelligence 2024: Key Takeaways

In the latest  IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Data Intelligence Platform Software 2024 Vendor Assessment, Alation has been named a Leader. This year’s report evaluates the 13 vendors in the space. 

Here’s a closer look at why we believe Alation was recognized and why we believe it continues to be a trusted platform for organizations seeking to maximize the value of their data.

1. Innovative use of behavioral metadata

Alation’s leadership in data intelligence is driven by its ability to capture and analyze behavioral metadata. The platform leverages query logs and data usage patterns to provide actionable insights into how data is used across the organization.

This intelligence helps businesses identify high-value data, optimize stewardship efforts, and make informed decisions about their data infrastructure.

Why this matters:

Organizations increasingly rely on metadata to drive AI initiatives, enhance self-service analytics, and foster a data-driven culture. Alation’s ability to parse and analyze this metadata allows teams to quickly access trusted data, a critical enabler for deploying AI models confidently and delivering accurate, timely insights.

2. AI-driven curation for data discovery and governance

At the heart of Alation’s platform is ALLIE AI, an AI co-pilot that enhances data curation, discovery, and governance. ALLIE AI intelligently suggests stewards, titles, and descriptions, combining behavioral, semantic, and keyword-based rankings to streamline the search experience. In the words of the MarketScape, “Alation’s Data Intelligence Platform is built on a core of machine learning, ALLIE AI, providing intelligent curation and search features.” 

Not only does the platform integrate AI to support efficiency, but it also supports AI use cases by delivering key details about data to AI practitioners. 

Why this matters:

As data grows in volume and complexity, organizations need tools that not only make data accessible but also ensure that it’s accurate and trusted. Alation’s AI-driven capabilities help businesses prioritize stewardship, automate key tasks, and improve governance, ensuring that AI models are built on reliable, high-quality data.

3. Data culture maturity: A key differentiator

A standout feature of Alation’s approach is our focus on data culture maturity. Borne of years of working closely with innovative, data-driven companies, our data culture maturity model helps organizations identify and prioritize key areas for growth. By learning from customer usage data, our professional service team (with partners) can customize an adoption strategy to guide customers as they improve across four key pillars: data search and discovery, governance, literacy, and leadership. 

Why this matters:

Building a data-driven culture is essential for organizations that aim to fully leverage the power of their data and AI initiatives. Alation’s focus on cultural transformation ensures that companies not only adopt the right tools but also foster the mindsets needed to make data-driven decisions at scale.

4. Proven customer success: a European retailer’s journey with Alation

Alation’s leadership extends beyond technical features—it’s reflected in customer success. One of Alation’s European customers, a leading supermarket chain, has seen tremendous growth with the platform. Since 2018, the retailer has scaled its use of Alation from 200 users to over 4,000 by 2024, saving over 414,000 hours and $12.4 million.

Why this matters:

The ability to scale and deliver ROI is a crucial factor when selecting a data intelligence platform. Alation’s proven success with enterprise-scale customers like this retailer showcases its ability to deliver measurable value and foster widespread adoption.

5. Comprehensive data intelligence for diverse use cases

Alation supports a broad range of use cases, from self-service analytics to cloud migration, data governance, and AI readiness. This versatility, combined with deep integration into enterprise ecosystems, makes Alation a trusted choice for businesses across industries. As the report points out, “Alation is leveraging its experience in data cataloging and applying it to AI governance disciplines, providing intelligence about models and data being synthesized to generate outcomes.”

Why this matters:

In a rapidly evolving data landscape, businesses need platforms that can adapt to diverse needs. Alation’s ability to integrate with different data sources and industries positions it as a leader in helping organizations modernize their data infrastructure and prepare for the future of AI.

Final thoughts: Why Alation continues to lead

We believe Alation’s recognition as a Leader in the 2024 IDC MarketScape report affirms our continued leadership in the data intelligence space. By leveraging behavioral metadata, AI-driven curation, and a deep focus on data culture maturity, Alation empowers organizations to unlock the full value of their data. Whether your goal is to improve governance, scale AI, or build a data-driven culture, Alation’s platform delivers the tools and insights needed to succeed.

Ready to learn more? Book a demo to discover how Alation can help your business drive greater business value from its data and AI initiatives. Or, listen to a conversation with Stewart Bond, report author and IDC analyst, to learn about the data intelligence market and the impact of AI.