It’s the unicorn hiding in plain sight: Full sovereignty over your AI and data. Organizations deeply committed to the mission criticality of the idea of sovereignty over their AI and data deliver ROI 5x those who are sitting on the sidelines, or somewhere in between. We know this ROI model because 2,050 of executives from the world’s largest enterprises across thirteen global economies went through a detailed interview about their AI and data strategies.

The modeling was based on more than 15,000 simulations, covering everything from data management platform choices to the sequencing of agentic AI capabilities — tested against a barrage of economic and performance metrics. While we’re still in the early innings of AI and data sovereignty, one trend stands out: Enterprises that not only believe in the critical need for AI and data sovereignty, but also intend to become their own AI and data platforms — much like Amazon.

This combination of vision and intent is proving to be a vital success factor, regardless of geography — from the U.S. and UK to Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UAE, Singapore, Japan, and India. And the pace of change is staggering: Within just three years, over 95% of these enterprises aspire to run their own AI and data platforms.

Nearly 70% of them see AI and data as either an existential opportunity or threat. Those getting it right today are already performing 5X better than those falling behind. Here are the drivers that separate them.

Leaders recognize the urgent need for data agility 

The driving force behind this shift isn’t geopolitics — despite the noise, that accounted for less than 7% of all motivations. The real catalyst is much simpler and far more operational: Leaders recognize the urgent need for data agility. That means breaking data out of silos and enabling it to be used compliantly, securely, and flexibly to create value.

Across fifteen variables tested, one idea dominated — secure, compliant, available, and agile data access. This theme appeared in 87% of all global responses.

Sovereignty over your AI and data must deliver exactly that: secure access to your data and AI — wherever, whenever, and however you need it. Not just across clouds, but truly everywhere: On premises, across clouds, and within edge environments. That’s especially critical when your AI — including agentic AI — is deployed in multiple environments and needs its data co-located in real time.

Today, 44% of these workloads already run in hybrid environments — on premises and across multiple clouds — to deliver that sovereign control. Why? Because it’s your data. It’s your AI. And it’s your IP.

To protect it and act on it with confidence, you need total agility and control. That requires a hybrid model — and freedom from vendor lock-in.

Success is a function of conviction plus appropriate design

The top 13% of enterprises — the current leaders — show the pathway forward. Their performance shows what’s possible when conviction is paired with the right architecture. These organizations are already running more than 10 forms of agentic AI in production, from customer service bots to fraud detection engines.

Why? Because their platforms are designed to deliver full data agility and meet compliance and regulatory demands. One without the other isn’t enough.

What sets them apart is not just their belief in sovereignty — it’s their decision to build for it. They’ve brought their own AI and data platforms together with intention. That confidence is paying off: they’re pushing into double-digit AI use cases while others remain stuck in the low single digits.

They’re also more pragmatic. Rather than betting on massive ROI from a single AI use case, they understand the power of cumulative outcomes — driven by foundational infrastructure. Among them, 42% are already operating in hybrid environments, and 19% are actively adopting Postgres as part of their architecture.

The formula is clear: Vision + intent + platform design + execution = sustainable advantage.

What’s next for the rest of us?

In an era defined by economic volatility, shifting regulations, and geopolitical headwinds, sovereignty offers both protection and competitive advantage. Sovereignty over AI and data means having full control over where your data lives, how it’s accessed, and how AI is developed and deployed — without being reliant on third-party cloud providers, external infrastructure, or black-box models. You should trust your future, your AI, your data in your hands. It could well be the most important asset in your business

You can see this urgency playing out in the headlines. The global conversation is focused on the promise of AI — and the pressure to control and operationalize AI in business, amid shifting geopolitical dynamics and levels of economic uncertainty.

The organizations pulling ahead — the 5x performers — aren’t fundamentally different from those still on the sidelines. Yes, some skew larger (2,500+ employees), and sectors like BFSI and energy are slightly overrepresented. But there was only one variable that truly separated them: Their depth of commitment to the idea that sovereignty over their AI and data is mission critical to their future.

These leaders also share structural traits: They operate in hybrid environments, and they show strong preference for open-source, sovereign-ready data platforms — Postgres in particular.

The difference isn’t capability. It’s conviction — and the willingness to act on it.

About the Author:

Hervé Timsit is Chief Revenue Officer at EDB. Timsit is a dynamic serial entrepreneur and sales leader, BMC and EMC alumni, navigating high-growth software companies with visionary acumen. He specializes in large, strategic deals in enterprise software, IT infrastructure, and cloud services.

Timsit is a consistent driver of sales organization growth, adept at go-to-market strategy, and renowned for building top-tier salesforces. He demonstrates an innovative growth mindset in crafting portfolios of high-value customer accounts. He’s recognized for leadership excellence in guiding high-potential individuals across the spectrum, from start-ups to blue-chip public companies.