Abu Dhabi, UAE – Anton Melnik, Managing Director for AI and Data at Databorn, shared insights into one of enterprise AI’s most persistent challenges, scaling beyond pilots, during the Machines Can Think Summit 2026. Melnik spoke in an interview with Justin Cooke ahead of his panel session at the summit.
Melnik’s panel focused on why many organizations successfully launch AI pilots but fail to move into large scale deployment. According to industry research from Gartner, McKinsey, and other analysts, this transition remains a major stumbling block for enterprises worldwide.
“Many organizations test AI successfully,” Melnik said. “But they get stuck at pilot stage.”
Data quality is often cited as the primary barrier. Melnik noted that while the “garbage in, garbage out” principle still applies, the reality is more nuanced and varies significantly by industry.
“In finance, data quality is often strong,” he said. “In other industries, there is still work to do.”
He explained that generative AI systems can sometimes tolerate lower data quality at the output stage, but expectations differ depending on how critical decisions are. Mission critical sectors such as healthcare, energy, and oil and gas require far higher precision than others.
“There is no one-size-fits-all answer,” Melnik said.
The panel brought together perspectives from government, private sector organizations, and technology vendors, including Databricks, to explore whether these challenges are consistent across regions or specific to certain markets. Recent remarks from global leaders reinforced the relevance of the discussion, including comments at Davos highlighting data quality as a key constraint on AI scaling.
Melnik also addressed the growing importance of data sovereignty. As organizations increasingly view data as a strategic asset, ownership and geographic control of data play a significant role in AI strategy.
“Data is the new oil,” he said. “Those who invested early in collecting and organizing data are now ahead.”
He highlighted the Middle East, and the UAE in particular, as a region that moved early on digital infrastructure, AI adoption, and government-led initiatives. Leadership-driven change management accelerates adoption and reduces friction across organizations.
“When change is driven from the top, it moves faster,” Melnik said.
The interview reflected a central theme of the Machines Can Think Summit 2026, moving from experimentation to real-world AI impact through data readiness, governance, and leadership alignment.
About Databorn
Databorn is a data and analytics consulting company that helps organizations use data, AI, and analytics to improve decision-making and operations. The company delivers data management, AI/ML, and business intelligence solutions across multiple industries.
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Interview conducted by Justin Cooke at Machines Can Think Summit 2026