Sorry, DevOps: Garbage Data Can Only Generate Garbage AI Outcomes
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to evolve, we've seen more and more of its capabilities and limitations. We've witnessed AI perform tasks once deemed futuristic, reminiscent of scenes from sci-fi pop culture, such as Hanna-Barbera's iconic 1960s cartoon, The Jetsons. In this animated series, nearly every aspect of life is automated, from housework and meal prep to fashion, depicting a world where AI plays a central role in daily activities.
While exaggerated, the show prompted me to contemplate exactly what role AI can—and should—play in helping product leaders deliver the next generation of innovation. Specifically, I began to wonder: How can AI be integrated into DevOps strategies as more than just a tool, but as a strategic ally—an extension of software development teams.
The benefits of AI in DevOps—from automating testing and deployment to improving resource management and enhancing security—are driving increased investment. The "2024 Developer Survey" from Stack Overflow revealed that 76% of developers are using or planning to use AI tools, up from 70% last year. Notably, 81% cited productivity gains as the biggest benefit, while 62% valued accelerated skill development.
As an innovator, I've already seen AI refine operations, simulating human intelligence across workflows. AI and automation offer unparalleled opportunities to reimagine software delivery. It streamlines resource-intensive areas such as testing, code-writing and deployment, all while ensuring compliance and security.
AI and automation can also autogenerate test scripts, adding ready-to-go test scenarios to plans in a single click, as well as creating anticipatory project reports to pinpoint potential risks that could jeopardize software quality. And this is only scratching the surface of what is possible.
So, What's The Issue?
The risks of not adopting AI are significant and go beyond the DevOps community—it is a larger CIO issue. According to a recent survey from OpenText, 96% of respondents are using, testing, or planning to explore AI across their organization. Moreover, 78% believe failing to leverage internal data effectively will squander AI's potential.
This seems promising, but the reality is more nuanced. In DevOps, the intersection of AI and operations goes beyond implementing advanced algorithms; it demands a robust foundation of organized, high-quality data. Without this foundation, achieving desired AI outcomes becomes a formidable challenge, and we risk stumbling at the first hurdle.
Cleaning Up Your Data Is More Than Fixing Spreadsheets
Understanding the role of information management means recognizing that AI thrives on high-quality data. The expression "garbage in, garbage out" applies here. If data isn't managed for accuracy and accessibility, desired AI results won't be achieved. High-quality data, on the other hand, sets the stage for success.
Consider a car engine: Removing deposits and sludge (inaccurate, outdated, irrelevant and incorrect information) reduces friction, while clean oil (large language models and AI) ensures smooth performance. Much like good car engine maintenance, effective information management ensures longevity and optimal performance, generating superior and enduring AI results.
Remember, even the most skilled data scientists and developers can't achieve optimal results without reliable data. And while many businesses understand AI's dependence on quality data, few feel ready to act on it.
It's a shame because only organizations that govern, unify and protect their information will unlock AI's full, transformative potential.
Optimize Your AI Initiatives With Quality Data
Is your AI engine running on premium data? For DevOps teams, maximizing value starts with a solid information management foundation.
Begin with these five steps:
1. Audit Your Data: Conduct a comprehensive review of all data assets (data logs, appdev dashboards, metadata, etc.) across cloud and on-premises storage. Identify data sources, formats and quality to build a knowledge base for AI workflows that can support faster application delivery, automated testing and intelligent code suggestions. Clean historical data also improves time-to-market predictions.
2. Set Data-Governance Standards: Adhering to data governance standards ensures that the applications they build comply with privacy regulations and industry standards. Establish clear data-governance protocols to safeguard privacy and ensure proper data management. Consistent, high-quality data flows are essential for reliable AI results, making effective governance paramount.
3. Implement Continuous Data Integration: Embrace an ongoing process to integrate disparate datasets into a unified format suitable for AI analysis. This continuous aggregation ensures AI assistants have a relevant and useful foundation for effective functionality. This can reduce the burden on not only application developers, but also quality assurance testers and managers, as accurate results can be assured every time.
4. Secure Data Flows: Prioritize data security and align your practices with regulatory requirements and industry standards. Implement proactive validation checks and AI-driven threat detection to maintain data integrity and security. Developers must incorporate security best practices, such as encryption and access controls, into their data handling processes.
5. Enhance Data Accessibility: Enable conversational search interfaces and AI assistants to access relevant datasets from multiple knowledge bases, when your information is clean. These tools can empower developers to optimize the software delivery cycle and reduce delivery times. With tools like this, clients I've worked with were able to maximize test coverage in less time and on (or under) budget, while enjoying greater access to high-level insights.
Elevating DevOps With AI Through Information Management
AI and automation have already shown their potential to enhance operations and productivity. However, the next step is sustainable and scalable AI. This evolution is essential for reimagining business information ecosystems and elevating people to become innovative leaders, rather than late adopters.
As technology leaders, we stand at the forefront of the AI revolution, and we must recognize that information management is not merely a support function, but the catalyst for AI excellence. Effective information management not only boosts AI capabilities, but it also encourages innovative, targeted and successful application development, delivery, execution and measurement.
Embracing information management as a cornerstone of AI-driven progress is the key to achieving the level of product excellence that once seemed like science fiction.
Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
3 Canadian Tech Stocks to Buy Now for High Growth Potential
Written by Chris MacDonald at The Motley Fool Canada The Canadian tech sector is chock full of growth stocks long-term investors have done well owning, particularly during this most recent bull market following the Global Financial Crisis. Indeed, the tech sector continues to be on a roll, as investors look for any way to play the surge in adoption AI should bring to many top technology platforms. I'm going to highlight three such players I think could have massive upside on the TSX, and why now is the time to consider diving into these particular names. Without further ado, let's dive in! Open Text Open Text (TSX:OTEX) is among the leading Canadian software providers that's yet to see a significant uptick despite its strong fundamentals. This is a stock that's down over the past year, and down roughly 30% over the past five years. No doubt, some investors may be wondering why this stock made the list to begin with. For one, I think Open Text has among the most attractive valuations in its sector, with a price-earnings ratio of just 12 times. That's less than half the industry average, and one that's not pricing in a heck of a lot of growth moving forward. Now, the company did see revenue decline by around 13% on a year-over-year basis, so some of this discount is warranted. But for long-term investors who believe the company can return to growth, it may be worth picking up shares before this stock rebounds. That's the approach I think makes the most sense right now. Constellation Software Constellation Software (TSX:CSU) is the next top tech stock on my list. That's for good reason. The stock chart above tells a story that I think is really compelling. The company's long-term growth trajectory is truly world-class, and Constellation Software remains one of my top bullish picks in this sector for this reason. Of course, past performance is no guarantee of future results, and plenty will need to go right for the company to see the kind of continued growth many investors are expecting. That said, the company's long-term growth profile has been driven by an acquisition model that still holds. Constellation continues to acquire and integrate small and mid-cap tech companies into its portfolio, improving their ROI as the company grows. Until the tech market becomes less fragmented and owner-operators choose not to sell, this is a stock to simply hold and buy more on dips. Kinaxis As far as Canadian tech stocks are concerned, Kinaxis (TSX:KXS) is the latest addition to my watch list of stocks I think investors may want to have a closer look at. Kinaxis' upside really comes from the company's recent AI integrations, with its core platform seeing strong growth in recent quarters. The company's revenue is expected to grow at a double-digit pace in the coming years, with recent quarters seeing robust growth of a similar magnitude. Indeed, if the AI revolution is as big as everyone's saying and these are the results of the company's efforts thus far, I think there's more upside on the table long term. The company's valuation is much steeper than that of most in the Canadian tech sector. But with the sort of fundamental growth drivers Kinaxis has at play, there are few better options in the market right now in my view. The post 3 Canadian Tech Stocks to Buy Now for High Growth Potential appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada. Should you invest $1,000 in Constellation Software right now? Before you buy stock in Constellation Software, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor Canada analyst team just identified what they believe are the Top Stocks for 2025 and Beyond for investors to buy now… and Constellation Software wasn't one of them. The Top Stocks that made the cut could potentially produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider MercadoLibre, which we first recommended on January 8, 2014 ... if you invested $1,000 in the 'eBay of Latin America' at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $24,927.94!* Stock Advisor Canada provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month – one from Canada and one from the U.S. The Stock Advisor Canada service has outperformed the return of S&P/TSX Composite Index by 30 percentage points since 2013*. See the Top Stocks * Returns as of 6/23/25 More reading 10 Stocks Every Canadian Should Own in 2025 3 Canadian Companies Powering the AI Revolution A Commonsense Cash Back Credit Card We Love Fool contributor Chris MacDonald has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Constellation Software and Kinaxis. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 2025 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
The 'No Buy' trend is catching on — and leading to big savings
Sometimes, getting your budget on track starts with a detox to wipe the slate clean and build new habits. Many consumers have taken on no-spend challenges to put themselves to the test and see if they can go a day, week, or month without spending money. Others have taken it a step further and adopted a 'no buy' year to cut out unnecessary spending and focus on what matters. Here's what you need to know about No Buy 2025 and how to incorporate it into your life. This embedded content is not available in your region. What is No Buy 2025? No Buy 2025 is a personal finance trend in which individuals commit to avoiding non-essential (AKA discretionary) purchases for a set period this year, which could range from a few weeks to the full year. One example of this trend in practice is 'No Buy July,' where participants challenge themselves to avoid spending money for the full month. 'No Buy July is like a financial detox,' said Hanna Kaufman, CFP® at Betterment. 'For one month, you hit pause on all non-essential spending — think: takeout, impulse Amazon buys, new clothes — and focus only on what you really need.' She explained that it's a challenge that helps people reset their spending habits, get clarity on their financial priorities, and boost their savings without having to make huge sacrifices. But some people are taking it a step further and adopting the trend for the entirety of 2025. For example, a Reddit group dedicated to the no-buy challenge boasts more than 70,000 members who share their personal experiences and tips. Many of those who take on the challenge start by creating a list of rules for themselves that align with their lifestyles. This could include hard rules such as 'no new clothes whatsoever' or 'no new technology,' as well as rules that limit the frequency of certain purchases, such as 'yes to takeout once per month' or 'yes to one nail appointment every two weeks.' Others have posted online about having a 'low buy' year, which means they're limiting the amount of purchases they're making, rather than cutting out non-essential spending altogether. The ultimate goal: Spend less and save more in order to reach larger financial goals, from paying off debt to buying a home. Read more: How the 30-day savings rule can help you stop impulse spending and save more money Why it works You may wonder why creating a simple budget isn't enough. While it certainly can be for many, some people need the extra motivation that comes from a challenge. 'Challenges work because they give you structure with a finish line,' Kaufman said. 'You're not saying 'no' forever, just 'not now.'' Kaufman added that joining a no-buy challenge also helps you break longstanding habits, like reaching for your phone to shop when you're bored, because you have the time to ask yourself whether you truly need or want an item. 'Plus, there's a little psychology at play — our brains love a good goal, especially when there's a sense of community and accountability behind it,' she said. Read more: 5 psychological money hacks to cut spending and increase savings There's also the added bonus of having built-in accountability partners, be it through close friends, family, or global online communities that are all working toward the same goal and experiencing similar pain points and victories. If your budget has been off track and you're struggling to get your spending under control, embarking on a no-buy challenge can be a good way to reset and remind yourself of what's important. Up Next Up Next How to participate in No Buy 2025 If you're thinking of getting on board and joining in on No Buy 2025, there are a few steps you can take to set yourself up for success. Create your no-buy rules The spending parameters you set should be unique to your situation. After all, no one knows your spending habits and pitfalls better than you. What are your nonnegotiables? What can you afford to cut out? Be honest with yourself about what you absolutely need, versus what is simply nice to have. It's also important to be flexible. For example, cutting out all non-essential purchases completely may be demotivating after a while, whereas limiting your 'fun' purchases to once per week or month will make you feel less deprived and motivated to stick to your plan. Set a savings goal Having an end goal in mind can make it easier to stick to the challenge. Imagine what you hope to accomplish. Perhaps your goal is to pay off your car loan, save for a down payment on a home, or set aside enough money to start a business. Knowing your 'why' can help you avoid veering off track when things get difficult. Find free joy Just because you're avoiding spending money doesn't mean you have to deprive yourself of the things that bring you joy. 'Replace shopping habits with low-cost (or no-cost) fun: picnics, hikes, library runs, or finally watching that streaming series you've ignored,' Kaufman suggested. Keep track of your progress Watching your savings increase over time can be a constant reminder that your no-buy challenge isn't limiting you; it's helping you get closer to reaching your financial goals. Consider using a budgeting app or spreadsheet to track your progress over time, and whenever you're feeling deflated, you can remind yourself how far you've come. Forgive the slip-ups You're aiming for progress, not perfection. If you have a moment of weakness and end up splurging, use it as an opportunity to learn. Then get back on track. 'If you cave and buy a latte or a concert ticket, don't quit the challenge,' Kaufman said. 'Reflect, reset, and keep going.'
Business Wire
2 days ago
- Business Wire
FIBRA Macquarie México Reports Second Quarter 2025 Results
MEXICO CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--FIBRA Macquarie México (FIBRAMQ) (BMV: FIBRAMQ) announced its financial and operating results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025. SECOND QUARTER 2025 HIGHLIGHTS Total Industrial portfolio leasing activity comprised 1.3 million square feet of GLA, including early renewals of 424 thousand square feet Solid tenant retention rates of approximately 80% across Industrial and Retail portfolios Consolidated 2Q25 NOI up 18.1% YoY in Peso terms Consolidated 2Q25 AFFO up 23.3% YoY in Peso terms 'We are proud to report another quarter of strong performance, highlighted by record results across multiple metrics, including AFFO per certificate that was up 8.6% in underlying US dollar terms, to US$30.3 million,' said Simon Hanna, FIBRA Macquarie's chief executive officer. 'Our industrial portfolio continues to demonstrate remarkable strength, achieving record leasing renewal spreads of 27.7%, and the continued demand for space in our markets is reflected in our solid retention and rental rate growth across both our industrial and retail portfolios. On the growth capex front, we are particularly excited about our expanded development program in Tijuana, which represents an attractive opportunity with plans for four Class A buildings totaling approximately 750 thousand square feet. This strategic investment aligns with our long-term vision for sustainable growth in key markets.' Mr. Hanna continued, 'Through our prudent financial management, we have maintained our strong balance sheet position, with ample liquidity and prudent leverage. While we remain mindful of broader economic uncertainties, Mexico maintains a key strategic position within North American supply chains. We continue to successfully navigate the current market conditions, while pursuing selective growth opportunities and maintaining our commitment to disciplined capital allocation. With our reaffirmed full-year US dollar AFFO and distribution per CBFI guidance, we are confident in our ability to deliver sustained value for our certificate holders.' CAPITAL ALLOCATION FIBRAMQ continues to pursue a strategy of investing in and developing Class A industrial assets in core markets that demonstrate strong performance and a positive economic outlook. Industrial Portfolio Growth Capex Program FIBRAMQ has approximately 600 thousand square feet of GLA in stabilization. No new building construction starts were commenced during the quarter. The forecast 2025 cash investment for the industrial development program continues to be in a range of US$50.0 million to US$100.0 million. FIBRAMQ remains disciplined in its capital deployment as it stabilizes recent deliveries and maintains an attractive future growth pipeline. FIBRAMQ continues to target a NOI development yield on cost between 9.0% and 11.0%, which incorporates the highest sustainability standards and is designed to generate embedded operational efficiencies for its customers. Projects in process are summarized below. For further details regarding recently delivered projects, please refer to the Supplementary Information materials located at BMV Filings ( Industrial Development Projects in Process Guadalajara, Jalisco FIBRAMQ continues to make progress in pre-development works including obtaining initial permits, licenses and commencement of initial infrastructure works for the first building comprising 330 thousand square feet of GLA FIBRAMQ anticipates developing two Class A buildings in this park over time, with a total GLA of approximately 460 thousand square feet Apodaca, Nuevo León FIBRAMQ is marketing for lease a 200 thousand square foot property that was delivered during 3Q24 Tijuana, Baja California FIBRAMQ is marketing for lease a 385 thousand square foot property that was delivered during 2Q25 FIBRAMQ has entered into a 50-50 joint venture to develop an industrial park in the prime Pacifico/Libramiento submarket of Tijuana. The project will feature up to four Class A industrial buildings, totaling approximately 750 thousand square feet of GLA with pre-development works, including obtaining initial permits and licenses, and commencement of initial infrastructure works underway FINANCIAL AND OPERATING RESULTS Consolidated Portfolio FIBRAMQ's consolidated 2Q25 results were as follows: Industrial Portfolio The following table summarizes 2Q25 results for FIBRAMQ's industrial portfolio: FIBRAMQ's industrial portfolio performance remains robust, with growing average rental rates and sustained retention. For the quarter ended June 30, 2025, FIBRAMQ's industrial portfolio delivered NOI of US$51.1 million, a 6.0% increase YoY. Total leasing activity comprised 1.3 million square feet, including 120 thousand square feet of new leases. Renewal leases comprised 14 contracts across 1.1 million square feet, driving a retention rate of 93.2% for the quarter and 80.1% over the last 12 months. For the remainder of the year, FIBRAMQ's industrial portfolio scheduled lease expirations, including expired leases in regularization, total 4.8% of annualized base rents. Retail Portfolio The following table summarizes the proportionally combined 2Q25 results for FIBRAMQ's retail portfolio: FIBRAMQ signed 54 new and renewal leases during the quarter totaling 11.5 thousand square meters of GLA, across a diverse range of tenants. The retail portfolio has a retention of 77.8% over the last twelve months. Of note, retail portfolio occupancy of 93.4% represents a post-pandemic record. Lease Rental Rate Summary Based on annualized base rents, leases in FIBRAMQ's consolidated portfolio is now 71.2% linked to either Mexican or US CPI, representing an increase of 525 bps over the last twelve months. In the Industrial portfolio, FIBRAMQ achieved a weighted average positive releasing spread of 27.7% in respect of 2Q25. During the prior 12-month period, FIBRAMQ achieved a weighted average lease spread of 22.0% in respect of commercially negotiated lease renewals generating US$33.2 million of annualized base rent. For further details about FIBRA Macquarie's Second Quarter 2025 results, please refer to the Supplementary Information materials located at BMV Filings ( Replacement of Trustee As previously announced, FIBRAMQ replaced CIBanco, S.A., Institución de Banca Múltiple ('CIBanco') with HSBC México, S.A., Institución de Banca Múltiple, Grupo Financiero HSBC, as FIBRA trustee effective July 18, 2025. BALANCE SHEET At June 30, 2025, FIBRAMQ had US$1,230.2 million of debt outstanding and total liquidity of US$420.9 million comprising US$228.8 million available on its undrawn committed revolving credit facilities as well as US$192.1 million of unrestricted cash on hand. FIBRAMQ's indebtedness is 85.0% fixed rate, with 3.0 years of weighted average tenor remaining. As of June 30, 2025, FIBRAMQ's CNBV regulatory debt to total asset ratio was 33.7% and debt service coverage ratio was 6.3x. CERTIFICATE REPURCHASE PROGRAM FIBRAMQ has a Ps. 1,000 million CBFI repurchase-for-cancellation program available through to June 25, 2026. No certificates were repurchased during the quarter. SUSTAINABILITY At June 30, 2025, FIBRA Macquarie's green building certification coverage represented 41.8% of consolidated GLA, representing an increase of 481bps YoY. The sustainability and green financing linked portion of drawn debt stands at 68.3% DISTRIBUTION FIBRAMQ declared a cash distribution of Ps. 0.6125 per certificate for the quarter ended June 30, 2025. The distribution is expected to be paid on or about September 26, 2025, to holders of record on September 25, 2025. FIBRAMQ's certificates are expected to commence trading ex-distribution on September 25, 2025. FY25 GUIDANCE AFFO FIBRA Macquarie is reaffirming its FY25 AFFO guidance in underlying US dollar terms to a range of US$115.0 million to US$119.0 million, representing an annual increase of between 1.0% and 5.0%. FIBRAMQ maintains a cautious outlook on operational performance for 2025, and this guidance assumes no material deterioration of the geopolitical landscape or Mexico's key trading relationships. This guidance assumes: an average exchange rate of Ps. 18.50 per US dollar for the remainder of 2025; no new acquisitions or divestments; no issuances or repurchases of certificates; no deterioration in broader economic and market conditions, including the potential implementation of tariffs or deterioration in the trade relationship with key trading partners Following the recent appreciation of the Peso relative to the US dollar, FIBRAMQ is updating its FY25 AFFO per certificate guidance to a range of Ps. 2.80 to Ps. 2.85. Cash Distribution FIBRAMQ is reaffirming guidance for cash distributions in FY25 of Ps. 2.45 per certificate, paid in equal quarterly instalments of Ps. 0.6125 per certificate. The FY25 per certificate cash distribution guidance equates to an annual increase of 16.7% in Peso terms, with an expected FY25 AFFO payout ratio of approximately 87.0%, based on the AFFO guidance midpoint. In underlying USD terms, the FY25 cash distribution guidance equates to approximately US$101 million, representing an annual increase of 10.8%. The payment of distributions is subject to the approval of the Manager, stable market conditions and prudent management of FIBRAMQ's capital position. Outstanding certificates FIBRA Macquarie had 797,311,397 outstanding certificates as of June 30, 2025. WEBCAST AND CONFERENCE CALL FIBRAMQ will host an earnings conference call and webcast presentation on Friday, July 25, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. CT / 13:00 p.m. ET. The conference call, which will also be webcast, can be accessed online at or by dialing toll free +1-877-407-2988. Callers from Mexico may dial 01-800-522-0034 and other callers from outside the United States may dial +1-201-389-0923. Please ask for the FIBRA Macquarie Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Call. An audio replay will be available by dialing +1-877-660-6853 or +1-201-612-7415 for callers from outside the United States. A webcast archive of the conference call and FIBRA Macquarie's financial information for the second quarter 2025 will also be available on FIBRAMQ's website, About FIBRA Macquarie FIBRA Macquarie México (FIBRA Macquarie) (BMV:FIBRAMQ) is a real estate investment trust (fideicomiso de inversión en bienes raíces), or FIBRA, listed on the Mexican Stock Exchange (Bolsa Mexicana de Valores) targeting industrial, retail and office real estate opportunities in Mexico, with a primary focus on stabilized income-producing properties. FIBRA Macquarie's portfolio consists of 243 industrial properties and 17 retail properties, located in 20 cities across 16 Mexican states as of June 30, 2025. Nine of the retail properties are held through a 50/50 joint venture. For additional information about FIBRA Macquarie, please visit Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements This release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. We caution you that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ significantly from these forward-looking statements and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements. Other than Macquarie Bank Limited ABN 46 008 583 542 ('Macquarie Bank'), any Macquarie Group entity noted in this document is not an authorized deposit-taking institution for the purposes of the Banking Act 1959 (Commonwealth of Australia). The obligations of these other Macquarie Group entities do not represent deposits or other liabilities of Macquarie Bank. Macquarie Bank does not guarantee or otherwise provide assurance in respect of the obligations of these other Macquarie Group entities. In addition, if this document relates to an investment, (a) the investor is subject to investment risk including possible delays in repayment and loss of income and principal invested and (b) none of Macquarie Bank or any other Macquarie Group entity guarantees any particular rate of return on or the performance of the investment, nor do they guarantee repayment of capital in respect of the investment. THIS RELEASE IS NOT AN OFFER FOR SALE OF SECURITIES IN THE UNITED STATES, AND SECURITIES MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES ABSENT REGISTRATION OR AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED.
