Business Intelligence is at a Breaking Point, New Report Finds

New data reveals that although the majority of companies report an increase in their data volumes this past year, nearly all describe scalability problems with no clear path from insight to action

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The data crisis is here, with many companies struggling with legacy business intelligence systems that fail to meet their needs. The State of BI 2025 Report, released today by Sigma and based on survey data from over 500 data professionals, business leaders, and BI users, offers a clear-eyed look at the technical and cultural realities holding organizations back—and outlines what needs to happen next.

“The volume, variety, and velocity of today’s data have left businesses reeling,” said Mike Palmer, CEO of Sigma. “Our survey shows this industry is ripe for disruption. It’s up to us as leaders in the business intelligence space to provide solutions that address the technical, organizational, and cultural challenges that have become barriers to innovation. Data apps and AI-driven solutions are critical for helping businesses transform insights into action.”

The report surfaces three urgent truths shaping the future of BI:

1. Data Growth Is Outpacing Legacy BI Tools

Most BI tools weren’t built for the scale of today’s data, or the speed of decision-making now required.

• 87% of companies say their data volumes increased in the past year

• 71% report BI scalability problems

• 76% cite slow performance, with delays in dashboards and reports

2. AI Ambitions Are Colliding with Infrastructure Gaps

Organizations are eager to adopt AI, but most lack the data foundation to support it.

• 89% of companies are actively adopting Generative AI

• Yet 80% lack real-time data access, limiting AI’s effectiveness

• 78% struggle with a shortage of skilled personnel, slowing adoption

3. BI Is No Longer Just About Dashboards

The next wave of BI isn’t about reporting—it’s about enabling action.

• 37% of executives want BI to build custom data apps, not just dashboards

• 83% of enterprises say siloed departments block collaboration

• 75% cite resistance to change as a major barrier to innovation

The State of BI 2025 doesn’t just diagnose the problem—it outlines what comes next, exploring how BI challenges show up differently across company sizes, industries, and team structures. It also offers a roadmap for modernizing analytics, from embracing AI and writeback to building embedded data apps that eliminate delays and disconnects.

“Times change, and the future of BI is already here. AI, data apps, and writeback capabilities are no longer ‘nice-to-haves’ – they are features of BI solutions that are imperative to stay ahead. The survey shows SaaS sprawl remains a key roadblock to addressing today’s speed of business, with companies increasingly turning to modern BI solutions – and that’s where Sigma comes in on top,” added Palmer.

Explore the full survey findings here: https://www.sigmacomputing.com/state-of-bi/2025

Methodology: This study was conducted in partnership with GWI to over 500 data professionals, business leaders, and BI users across industries, using a robust, invitation-only sampling methodology to reach verified users of business intelligence tools across functions and industries. The survey was fielded from February 5–14, 2025.

About Sigma

Sigma is business intelligence built for the cloud. With a spreadsheet UI, business users can work in the formulas and functions they already know, while more technical users can write SQL and apply AI models to data. Sigma queries the cloud warehouse directly, making it incredibly fast and secure—data never leaves the warehouse, and Sigma can analyze billions of rows in seconds. Beyond dashboards and reports, teams use Sigma to build custom data apps, which integrate live data with end-user input. Sigma is the first analytics platform to enable data writeback, and continues to lead the market with innovation across AI, reporting, and embedded analytics.