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Lucent Search research | AI & Data Leadership Report 2025–2026
About the research: respondents, methodology and limitations
Understanding the evidence behind Lucent’s AI and data leadership research.
Lucent Search’s AI & Data Leadership Report 2025–2026 explores the experiences of people leading AI and data functions, and what those experiences mean for organisations building capability and making senior appointments.
The research was led by Rebecca Hastings, Founder of Lucent Search, drawing on her work in executive search and AI strategy.
ADDITIONAL INFO
Further Details
Who took part
The survey gathered responses from 102 AI and data leaders between January 2025 and March 2025. Participants included chief officers, directors, vice presidents and heads of function across different sectors, organisation sizes and geographies.
What it covered
The survey explored leadership careers, team structures, hiring and retention, skills and compensation. It also examined the challenges of securing investment, demonstrating value, scaling AI and establishing effective governance.
How to read the findings
The findings reflect participants’ reported experiences and intentions at the time of the survey. They provide insight into this group and should not be treated as representative of all AI and data leaders.
Response counts and relevant qualifications accompany the findings. Where results describe an issue as “challenging”, this combines “moderately challenging” and “very challenging” responses.
Sections labelled Rebecca’s perspective offer professional interpretation of the leadership implications.
EXPLORE
Explore the findings that matter to your organisation
Each topic brings together the relevant findings, their business implications and questions for the leadership team.
AI leadership retention and succession
Explore leaders’ career intentions, motivations and tenure, and the questions these raise about continuity, support and succession.
The skills AI and data teams need to deliver
Explore demand for technical expertise, strategic thinking, communication and organisational skills, and what this means for hiring and development.
AI investment and return on investment
Examine the difficulty of securing funding and demonstrating value, with questions about how investment decisions support sustained delivery.
Structuring AI and data teams for delivery
Examine team size, geographic distribution and capability mix, with implications for how teams connect to the wider organisation.
AI and data leadership compensation
Examine reported base salaries and bonuses across geography, sector, experience and role scope, with context on the sample and the period covered.
Scaling AI from pilot to production
Explore the integration and scaling challenges respondents describe, and what leadership teams need to consider when moving AI into operational use.
Hiring and retaining AI and data talent
Understand the challenges respondents face in attracting and keeping talent, alongside the role of development, progression and working conditions.
AI ownership, accountability and executive sponsorship
Explore the challenges of cross-functional collaboration and executive support, and their implications for responsibility and decision-making.
AI governance and leadership accountability
Examine the challenges of establishing governance, addressing ethical considerations and keeping pace with regulatory change.
CONNECT
Setting the scope and package for a senior appointment?
Start with what the business needs the leader to achieve, then test the role and remuneration against the relevant market.
Speak to Rebecca about the responsibilities, experience and commercial parameters of your proposed AI or data leadership appointment.
Lucent Search · AI & Data Leadership Report 2025–2026