Zero-trust data governance set to go mainstream as AI-generated data explodes: Gartner

By 2028, half of all organisations are expected to adopt a zero-trust approach to data governance, driven largely by the rapid spread of unverified AI-generated data, according to new predictions from Gartner.

The shift reflects a growing realisation among enterprises that data can no longer be assumed to be trustworthy by default. As AI-generated content becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish from human-created data, organisations are being forced to rethink how they authenticate, verify, and govern information used for business-critical decisions.

“Organisations can no longer implicitly trust data or assume it was human generated,” Gartner noted, warning that unchecked AI-produced data could undermine both financial and operational outcomes unless stricter verification mechanisms are put in place.

AI data growth raises new systemic risks

The warning comes as enterprises accelerate investments in generative AI. Gartner’s 2026 CIO and Technology Executive Survey found that 84% of organisations expect to increase GenAI spending ...