Insights
Seriös Group Launches New Research Exposing The ‘Chief Information Overload’ Facing Uk Data Leaders
- Category
- News
- Date published
- 13.07.2026
New report finds 87% of data leaders say their responsibilities have increased, as AI, governance, cybersecurity and data quality pressures continue to rise.
Seriös Group, a leading data solutions company, has today launched Chief Information Overload, a new insight report exploring the mounting pressure on UK data leaders as organisations move from recognising the value of data to confronting the operational reality of using it well.
Drawing on survey data from more than 100 data leaders, alongside roundtables and expert interviews, the report argues that the challenge facing Chief Data Officers and senior data leaders is no longer a lack of information. Instead, it is the growing gap between the accountability placed on data leaders and the level of control they have over the systems, behaviours and structures needed to deliver.
The report names this challenge the Data Responsibility Rift - a disconnect between concentrated responsibility and distributed ownership. Data leaders are increasingly expected to enable AI, improve data quality, strengthen governance, manage risk and support business decision-making. All whilst responsibility for the creation, management and use of data often remains spread across multiple teams and functions.
“We are no longer trying to convince organisations that data matters; that job is done. For data to operate as a true business asset, organisations need the structure, governance and clarity to support it.”
Seriös Group’s research found that 87% of data leaders report an increase in responsibilities since first holding a senior data role. The biggest pressures identified were cybersecurity and data protection, cited by 50% of respondents, followed by data governance and quality at 40% and AI enablement and readiness at 35%.
The report also highlights that many data leaders appear to be delivering, but not always sustainably. Around half of respondents said they can meet expectations comfortably, while approximately 40% described feeling uncomfortable, overstretched or close to burnout.
AI is intensifying those pressures, as tools become more accessible across organisations and more teams are experimenting with data-driven use cases. While this creates opportunities for innovation, it also increases the need for trusted, well-governed data foundations. Without them, AI initiatives risk amplifying inconsistency rather than improving decision-making.
“We can see a clear gap between how important data has become and how organisations are structured to support it. Data leaders are being asked to influence decisions, manage risk and enable AI, often without clear ownership or alignment across the business.
Closing that gap is not a technology challenge alone. It requires ownership, governance, environment and capability to work together as a coordinated system.”
The report identifies four key areas organisations must address to close the Data Responsibility Rift: ownership, governance, environment and capability. Ownership means clear, distributed accountability embedded across business functions. Governance provides the practical guardrails that enable consistent use of data without slowing delivery. Environment refers to structured, accessible data environments that reduce duplication, fragmentation and conflicting versions of the truth. Capability focuses on T-shaped skill sets that combine technical expertise with business understanding, communication and influence.
The findings also show that data leaders do not see a single fix. When asked what would most ease pressure on data leadership, respondents pointed to senior sponsorship and executive alignment, better data quality and governance foundations, simplified tools and platforms, and clearer ownership.
“This is the reality of Chief Information Overload. There isn’t a shortage of information, there is too much of it, combined with an expectation that it should always deliver.
But for data leaders, the opportunity is in bridging that gap. Not by adding more, but by creating the conditions where data can be trusted, understood and used consistently across the organisation. More data isn’t the answer, clarity is.
”
