Confidence in uncertainty begins with trusted data

Macroeconomic headwinds and policy turbulence have put companies in wait-and-see mode. Stubborn inflation, unpredictable trade policies, and the highest interest rates in decades have made forecasting extraordinarily difficult. Many executives describe the environment as unpredictable, and it shows: investments are delayed, spending is scrutinized, and guidance is hedged with caution.

Even companies riding strong demand aren’t immune. ASML Holding posted a strong Q2 2025, yet its CEO warned of increasing uncertainty driven by macroeconomic and geopolitical developments, citing trade barriers and export risks. Despite record orders from the AI boom, management admitted they couldn’t commit to 2026 growth targets—a clear signal of how even leaders are tempering expectations. Nasdaq’s Q2 2025 Outlook reflected the same mood across industries, noting widespread references to tariff policy, consumer belt-tightening, and volatility dominating corporate calls.

Yet amid this climate of uncertainty, a crucial distinction has emerged. Most are paralyzed by what they can’t predict, but a confident few focus on what they can control. Those companies double down on internal strengths, none more important than their own data. This is the essence of “controlling the controllables”: when you can’t change the macro environment, you rigorously improve your micro environment. And the most powerful lever inside any business is the quality and reliability of its data.

You can’t control the economy but you can control your data 

Trusted data is an executive’s best friend – a controllable source of stability and a foundation of facts leaders can rely on, even as external assumptions change.

Our Data Trust Report 2025 reinforces this point, noting that having trustworthy, quality data enables organizations to address immediate challenges and even turn external pressures into strategic advantages. In other words, if you can trust your data, you can respond faster to what’s happening and find opportunity in adversity – whether that means reallocating resources in the face of market shifts or spotting a change in customer behavior early.

So what does this look like in practice?

• Make confident decisions, like manufacturers who pivot capacity. In 2025, global manufacturers used trusted production and demand data to shift capacity from slowing sectors to growing ones despite volatility. 
• Act on tough truths, like insurers reducing claims fraud. Leading insurers leveraged trusted claims data to uncover fraud patterns and tighten controls, cutting loss ratios while peers hesitated.
• Build trustworthy AI, like banks managing credit risk. Banks applying AI to credit decisions on clean, governed data maintained lending volumes and grew share as competitors pulled back.

Unlock the power of AI with data you can trust

In a cautious economy, where every investment is scrutinized, leaders are looking to AI to deliver what the moment demands: greater efficiency, smarter decisions, and the ability to do more with less. The ambition is clear, but turning AI’s promise into reality starts with something more fundamental: your data. 

The reality is that AI is only as good as the data behind it. Models can’t compensate for poor quality, inconsistent definitions, or missing context. If you want AI that improves outcomes instead of magnifying errors, the first step is making sure the data feeding it is something you can trust. 

That’s why the most confident organizations focus inward first. They strengthen their data core by cleaning, connecting, and governing their data, enabling it to support both human and AI-assisted decisions. In a market where missteps are costly and efficiency is everything, they build trust first, knowing everything else, including AI, depends on it. These are the organizations operating with confidence. While others hesitate, they use trusted data to unlock AI’s potential, turning caution into calculated action. 

This is what separates the leaders from the laggards. The hesitant company says, “We’ll hold off until things feel safer.” The data-confident company says, “We have the facts – let’s act.” 

Operating with confidence in times of uncertainty isn’t about predicting what comes next. It’s about starting with the truth you already have, and using it to navigate forward, one decision at a time.

Uncertainty may be unavoidable, but paralysis is not. By controlling the controllables, starting with the quality of your data, you put your organization in a position to realize the full promise of AI and keep moving forward.

At Ataccama, we help organizations trust their data and act with confidence, even when the path ahead isn’t clear. If you’re ready to start, contact us.