In 2026, 48% of organizations rate data engineering as critical — nearly double the 28% who said the same in 2019. That shift reflects a fundamental change in how organizations are building for AI and analytics performance.

The question is whether your organization is keeping pace. The 2026 Dresner Data Engineering Market Study documents what is driving that change across hundreds of organizations globally. Among organizations where AI is a cornerstone of business strategy, 88% rate data engineering as critical or very important.

For IT and data leaders ready to evaluate their next move, download this study to understand:

• Why the highest-ROI business intelligence organizations invest in data engineering differently than their peers
• Which capabilities and sourcing models define leaders in 2026
• Where your adoption stands relative to industry and geography benchmarks