Every modern company collects data, and some collect quite a lot. However, that data is useless if no one can find it. Likewise, drawing out the most powerful insights requires a context for that data. This is the function of metadata, the data about data. Applying artificial intelligence to metadata gives computers the power to do what they do best in processing data, according to David Lyle (pictured), vice president of business transformation services at Informatica LLC.

“We’re using the computer in every other aspect of our lives to do the logical things it could and should do to help us out,” Lyle said, in an interview during the DataWorks Summit in San Jose, California.

Lyle spoke with Lisa Martin (@Luccazara) and Peter Burris (@plburris), co-hosts of theCUBE, SiliconANGLE’s mobile livestreaming studio, about metadata, the impact of machine learning and AI, and what types of value might come from metadata. (* Disclosure below.)

Metadata transcends data silos

In Informatica’s universe, metadata is becoming the central aspect. As part of this vision, the company’s engineers have built a capability called CLAIRE, a system that applies AIto metadata. This allows people to get more value from their computing when it comes to complex data transformation initiatives, Lyle explained.

Traditionally organizations kept their data in isolated silos, where only a fraction is exposed. Now, they can bring that data together and draw new insights from it. The important difference is how companies understand the way their data and metadata connects with and impacts other systems, according to Lyle. If something changes, companies can now see what else they need to revise and test in the system.

On the business side, C-suite people don’t much care about metadata. They care about solving problems, doing it quickly and getting the information they need, when they need it, Lyle stated. For them, the discussion is about dollars and time. AI, applied to metadata, touches on all these concerns. It’s about getting value out of a company’s data lake, he added.

Finally, everything comes together so companies may reap the benefits of the digital transformation. First, these organizations must approach it is by understanding what business capabilities will be affected. They also need to prioritize those capabilities in relevance and opportunity to improve. From this, a business can see what effects the transformation will have on other parts of the organization, Lyle concluded.

Watch the complete video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s independent editorial coverage of DataWorks Summit. (* Disclosure: Informatica Corp. sponsored this DataWorks Summit segment on SiliconANGLE Media’s theCUBE. Neither Informatica nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE