Qlik CEO: Enterprises Are Underachieving on AI, With Islands of Value in a Sea of Noise

Mike Capone previews Qlik’s 2026 outlook on data, analytics and AI, arguing that the next competitive edge will come from turning hidden “stealth AI value” into better decisions across the enterprise

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Qlik^®, a global leader in data integration, data quality, analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI), today shared an early look at its upcoming 2026 outlook on data, analytics and AI, with CEO Mike Capone arguing that the debate about whether AI “delivers value” is asking the wrong question. The real problem, he says, is that most organizations are still dramatically underachieving on AI, with only small islands of value emerging in a sea of experimentation, pilots and noise.

“Boardrooms keep hearing that only a tiny fraction of enterprises are truly ‘AI-ready,’” said Mike Capone, CEO of Qlik. “But walk the halls of any large company and you’ll find people quietly using AI in documents, slides and code every day. That’s real productivity. Right now, it’s dark matter. It shapes outcomes, but it’s invisible to the P&L, rarely based on complete data, and entirely outside governance.”

Recent research from Boston Consulting Group found that only around 5% of enterprises are structurally prepared for an AI future, even as generative tools are in everyday use at the edges of the business. Qlik’s analysis of customer environments shows the same paradox, a growing pool of “stealth AI value” that rarely survives the jump into audited metrics or risk models.

Capone believes 2026 will be the year leading enterprises close that gap. Instead of asking which single model, cloud or platform to bet on, he argues that organizations should assume they will change those choices repeatedly and design their architecture so they can swap models and tools without rewriting their business logic or losing control of their data.

“The old pendulum between tight central control and chaotic self-service is breaking down,” Capone added. “You can’t rebuild your operating model every time the market swings. The companies we see winning are practicing controlled decentralization: they keep definitions, governance and sovereignty non-negotiable, and push experimentation and automation out to the teams closest to the work.”

In parallel, Qlik expects intelligence, itself, to start behaving more like a utility than a feature. As smaller models, local inference and edge computing become mainstream, more decisions will be taken closer to where data lives, in factories, stores, vehicles and devices, while shared analytics and context remain the anchor for what “good” looks like.

“Over time, the price of intelligence per decision will go down, and the expectations for accountability will go up,” Capone said. “The winners will be the companies that can turn hidden, ad-hoc AI usage into an explicit, governed system of decisions, where every agent, assistant and application stands on the same trusted data and analytics.”

Capone’s comments come ahead of Qlik’s 2026 Data, Analytics and AI Trends webinar in January, where the company will share its predictions and regional perspectives.

To register for the webinar taking place on 14 January 2026, click here.

About Qlik

Qlik converts complex data landscapes into actionable insights, driving strategic business outcomes. Serving over 40,000 global customers, our portfolio provides advanced, enterprise-grade AI/ML, data integration, and analytics. Our AI/ML tools, both practical and scalable, lead to better decisions, faster. We excel in data integration and governance, offering comprehensive solutions that work with diverse data sources. Intuitive analytics from Qlik uncover hidden patterns, empowering teams to address complex challenges and seize new opportunities. As strategic partners, our platform-agnostic technology and expertise make our customers more competitive.

© 2025 QlikTech International AB. All rights reserved. All company and/or product names may be trade names, trademarks and/or registered trademarks of the respective owners with which they are associated.