Britain’s data and tech bosses are cracking under the pressure of a massive data overload, with nearly nine out of ten revealing they are drowning in extra work, and many close to total burnout.
That is according to a new report by Seriös Group, which explores the mounting pressure on UK data leaders as organisations move from recognising the value of data to confronting the operational reality of using it well.
The “Chief Information Overload” report draws on survey of more than 100 data leaders, alongside roundtables and expert interviews and reveals many are being pushed to breaking point by a toxic cocktail of out-of-control AI demands, relentless hacker threats, and clueless bosses who do not know how to handle information.
The study argues that the challenge is no longer a lack of information. Instead, it is the growing gap between the accountability placed on data leaders and the level of control they have over the systems, behaviours and structures needed to deliver.
Seriös names this challenge the “data responsibility rift”, meaning that while chief data officers get blamed for every single data screw-up, they actually have virtually no control over how different departments use information.
In reality, data leaders are increasingly expected to enable AI, improve data quality, strengthen governance, manage risk and support business decision-making, all while the responsibility for the creation, management and use of data often remains spread across multiple teams and functions.
Seriös Group founder and chief executive Lee Rorison said: “We are no longer trying to convince organisations that data matters; that job is done. For data to operate as a true business asset, organisations need the structure, governance and clarity to support it.”
The biggest pressures identified in the report are cybersecurity and data protection, cited by 50% of leaders, followed by data governance and quality at 40% and AI enablement and readiness at 35%.
The report also highlights that a major split in how leaders are coping; around half of respondents said they can meet company expectations, while 40% described themselves as overstretched and close to burnout.
AI is intensifying those pressures, as tools become more accessible across organisations and more teams are experimenting with data-driven use cases. While this creates opportunities for innovation, it also increases the need for trusted, well-governed data foundations. Without them, AI initiatives risk amplifying inconsistency rather than improving decision-making.
Seriös Group head of data strategy and architecture Adam Brown said: “We can see a clear gap between how important data has become and how organisations are structured to support it. Data leaders are being asked to influence decisions, manage risk and enable AI, often without clear ownership or alignment across the business.
“Closing that gap is not a technology challenge alone. It requires ownership, governance, environment and capability to work together as a coordinated system.”
The report identifies four key areas organisations must address to close the Data Responsibility Rift: ownership, governance, environment and capability.
– Ownership means clear, distributed accountability embedded across business functions.
– Governance provides the practical guardrails that enable consistent use of data without slowing delivery.
– Environment refers to structured, accessible data environments that reduce duplication, fragmentation and conflicting versions of the truth.
– Capability focuses on T-shaped skill sets that combine technical expertise with business understanding, communication and influence.
The findings also show that data leaders do not see a single fix. When asked what would most ease pressure on data leadership, respondents pointed to senior sponsorship and executive alignment, better data quality and governance foundations, simplified tools and platforms, and clearer ownership.
Lee added: “This is the reality of ‘Chief Information Overload’. There isn’t a shortage of information, there is too much of it, combined with an expectation that it should always deliver.
“But for data leaders, the opportunity is in bridging that gap. Not by adding more, but by creating the conditions where data can be trusted, understood and used consistently across the organisation. More data isn’t the answer, clarity is.”
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