Anaconda: Data Science Adoption Growing in the Enterprise

Data science has become an essential part of many organization’s workflows, though there is still room for growth, says Anaconda. This assertion was based on its latest data science report, which looked at the latest developments in the data science industry.

Anaconda makes one of the most popular data science platforms that supports Python and R for data processing, analytics, and machine learning applications.

The 2021 State of Data Science featured insights from 4,299 individuals from more than 140 countries. Individuals were polled through an online survey, and the report looked at the changes, trends, and areas for growth in the industry.

Key findings

Here are some of the key findings from the report.

• Quantity does not equal quality: When asked what the biggest myth in data science is, 31% of respondents said it’s the idea that having access to more data translates to greater accuracy.
• Automation: Automation isn’t regarded as a competitor but rather a complementary tool to data science professionals. Indeed, more than half (55%) say they hope to see more automation and AutoML in data science, while only 4% are concerned with how automation will impact data scientists’ careers.
• Open-source software: 87% responded that their organization allows the use of open-source software.
• Bias in data and models: Respondents indicated that the biggest problem to tackle in the AI/ML area today was the social impacts caused by bias in data and models. However, only 10% of respondents have implemented a solution to ensure fairness and mitigate bias. One third (30%) says they didn’t have plans, while another third (30%) says they are planning to implement a step in the next year.
• Not afraid of AI: Data scientists won’t be replaced by AI soon. When asked what the biggest myth is in data science, 33% of respondents replied it’s that “data scientists will be replaced by AI soon.”

“Over the past year, we’ve seen the power of data science for good and the innovation that can happen when the open-source data science community is supported,” said Peter Wang, the chief executive officer and co-founder of Anaconda.

Wang noted that the data science field continues to show impact as some organizations increase their investments. Many leaders display baseline data literacy, while “about half” the respondents say they see their work used in the making of business decisions.

“There are still clear areas for growth, especially in implementing ethical frameworks and education for data science and machine learning work. I’m excited by the progress the industry continues to make, especially as new generations enter the field, and look forward to its ongoing transformation.”

You can access the full findings here.

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