A gratitude note from Doug Llewellyn celebrating collaboration, listening, and community momentum shaping AI readiness and smarter data leadership as we head into 2026.
To our community of data leaders and learners,
As we wind down this week and look ahead, I’m reflecting on what I’m most thankful for, both our efforts this year and the momentum we are carrying into 2026.
When I think about our teams, our clients, and our broader communities, what stands out most is collaboration. Not just working side by side, but truly listening. Listening to our clients, listening to each other, and listening to the context around us. The real magic begins there. When we listen well, we bring together our different strengths in a coordinated way. And when we do, the results speak for themselves.
A moment from earlier this year captures this clearly. In July in Boston, we gathered nearly seventy-five community members. Data leaders, AI practitioners, clients, and colleagues. Ten tables filled with meaningful dialogue, thoughtful questions, and a shared sense of purpose. It was not about tools or systems. It was about people coming together with ideas, challenges, and hope. That dinner reminded me of how powerful community can be.
I am also profoundly grateful for the leaders and organizations who choose to partner with Data Society, The Data Lodge, Inspired Minds, and CDO Magazine. These are people who juggle countless priorities. They trust us with work that touches not only technology but culture, mindset, and teams. That trust is something we never take for granted.
We often say that AI readiness is not just about models or platforms. It is about the human side. It is about culture and mindset, and shared purpose. Gratitude fits right into that. If the most transformative technologies are the ones that free us to focus on what humans do best, then we have a lot to be thankful for. More time to think. More time to connect. More time to create.
I am encouraged to see more leaders recognize that the data behind the AI matters far more than any interface. Governance, data quality, and ethical foundations are not technical checkboxes. They are the backbone of trust, and trust is becoming the essential currency of this era.
On a personal note, I am grateful for my family. I am grateful for our team. I am grateful for the collaboration we have built and the momentum we carry into the coming year.
Enjoy the end of the week, the holiday reflections, the laughter, the potatoes, and the stories. Sometimes they are about travel. Sometimes they are about the scale of Thanksgiving dinner.
All of them remind us of the human story behind the data.
See you again soon.
P.S. Check out the previous Friday feature: Doug’s Friday Feature: Teach Curiosity, Not Certainty, for AI Readiness.
