22 Apr 2026
Madrid, Spain
AI & Data Summit
Unlocking the Power of Data and AI
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Building Intelligence that Creates Real Value
The IDC AI and Data Summit is the premier event for senior technology and business executives driving
artificial intelligence and data strategies across the region. Designed for CDOs, Heads of Data, and AI and
innovation leaders, this full-day event delivers strategic insights and practical frameworks aligned with
Germany’s priorities: data sovereignty, industrial AI adoption, ethical governance, and compliance-by-design.
Germany stands at the forefront of Europe’s digital transformation, combining world-class industrial expertise with a strong commitment to privacy, transparency, and trust. Yet as organizations accelerate AI investment, they face growing challenges: ensuring alignment with the EU AI Act, modernizing legacy data infrastructures, and overcoming data fragmentation across federal and sectoral boundaries.
Agenda
IDC research shows that 29% of European enterprises cite data quality and availability as the biggest barrier to realizing AI’s value, while over 90% share data externally, but only 30% do so strategically. In Germany, these gaps underscore the urgency of establishing trusted data spaces, federated data ecosystems, and responsible AI governance.
Through keynotes, executive panels, and peer discussions, participants will gain the insights and tools needed to transform AI and data into the foundation of Germany’s next wave of innovation, resilience, and competitive advantage.
2026 Prediction
By 2027, organizations that adopt tools and processes for AI evaluation and monitoring will have the confidence to deploy AI applications twice as fast as those that don’t.
Main Themes
Data Value Reinvention in the Age of AI
Organizations are shifting from thinking about “using AI” to “leveraging data for AI value,” integrating data maturity practices like cataloging, lineage, and observability to fuel model performance and business impact.
Scaling AI: From Pilot to Enterprise Deployment
Moving beyond experimentation, leaders create robust MLOps pipelines, governance frameworks, and change strategies to embed AI into core operations at scale with sustainability and reliability.
Trust, Transparency and Responsible AI
Embedding fairness, bias mitigation, auditability, and explainability across the AI lifecycle helps build user confidence, regulatory alignment, and long-term trust in intelligent systems.
Data Sovereignty, Governance and Interoperability
Balancing data residency, regulatory constraints, and cross-border flow requires hybrid cloud strategies, shared governance models, and interoperable architectures that meet business needs.
Generative and Agentic AI: The Next Frontie
As generative and agentic models go beyond assistance, leaders focus on guardrails, cost/risk trade-offs, hybrid model design, and alignment with existing AI systems.
People, Culture and AI Readiness
spaiSuccess requires preparing teams with AI literacy, reskilling, cross-functional collaboration, and leadership that navigates resistance and embeds data-driven habits into daily workflows.
2026 Prediction
By 2028, there will be at least 100 companies built predominantly using AI, with fewer than a dozen people and generating $1+ billion.
Venue
Hotel Mandarín Oriental Ritz Madrid
Plaza de la Lealtad, 5, 28014, Madrid
Luxury Belle Époque palace in the city’s famed Golden Triangle of Art. With over a century of history, it epitomises style and elegance.
IDC Analysts
Ewa Zborowska
Research Director
IDC
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Ewa Zborowska
Ewa Zborowska, an experienced technology professional with over two decades of expertise in the European IT services and cloud market. Since 2003, she has been a member of the IDC team, based in Warsaw, focusing on IT services research. In 2018, she joined the European team with a specific emphasis on cloud and AI.
Ms. Zborowska’s interests encompass a broad spectrum, from exploring new technology delivery models to delving into the relationship between business and IT, and understanding the societal and individual impacts of technology. She has authored numerous market publications and reports and advises on IDC projects throughout Europe. She also participates in IDC’s and third-party conferences as a keynote speaker, panelist, and moderator.
Prior to her role at IDC, Ms. Zborowska worked at Statistics Poland (formerly the Central Statistical Office) and worked at an IT company. She holds a degree in Management from the University of Łódź in Poland and has completed postgraduate studies in forecasting and foresight at Collegium Civitas University in Warsaw.
Ignacio Martínez De Lizarrondo
Data & Analytics Manager
IDC
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Ignacio Martínez De Lizarrondo
Knowledge Hub
5 Key Highlights on the European Observability Market in 2025
Observability is rapidly evolving as organizations across Europe embrace digital transformation, cloud adoption, and AI. As IT environments become more complex, traditional monitoring approaches are no longer sufficient.
The Agentic Business Future: Driving Resilience, Sovereignty, and Innovation in EMEA
As organizations navigate an era defined by economic uncertainty, geopolitical shifts, and relentless technological change, one truth stands out: the future belongs to those who can harness AI, automation, and sovereignty to build resilience, drive innovation, and unlock growth.
Shadow AI: How stealth productivity is strangling enterprise AI adoption. And creating a security nightmare…
Remember the good old days when “Shadow IT” was just about rogue Excel spreadsheets and unauthorized Dropbox accounts? But the times they are a-changing! Now we’re dealing with something far more insidious: Shadow AI.
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