435 - Dirty Data Makes AI Worse w/ Stephen Hightower
You've Been Heard, Thursday, July 2nd, 2026
Stephen Hightower explains that poor data quality undermines AI, which amplifies inaccurate enterprise information.
Stephen Hightower, CTO at Harmar, argues that cycle time, service quality, and unit cost are the only metrics that truly matter for evaluating business processes.
He warns that poor data quality directly undermines AI decision-making because AI amplifies the effects of inaccurate enterprise data, making master data discipline essential. He contrasts slow, approval-heavy defense contractor environments with private equity's emphasis on speed and fail-fast problem-solving.
He urges IT leaders to treat technology as a driver of revenue rather than a cost center and to build trust with transparent, proactive monitoring dashboards. He cites digital workers, CRM automation, and invoice processing as AI wins in manufacturing.