As global data privacy regulations continue to evolve, enterprises whose employees use customer data platforms (CDPs) are gaining a significant competitive edge over others who don’t, specifically in terms of first-party data strategies, privacy and compliance advantages.
More than 90 per cent of customer data platform users expressed confidence in handling changes to data privacy regulations, compared to 76 per cent of non-CDP users, while 68 per cent of users increased investment in first-party data strategies as a result of shifting privacy regulations, according to the latest report released by Tealium titled The Future of Customer Data: AI, CDPs, and Real-Time Data.
The 2025 Future of Customer Data research was conducted by independent research provider PureSpectrum, which surveyed 1,200 customer data professionals. Participants were from organisations with annual revenues exceeding $100mn. The study has a 3 per cent margin of error at a 95 per cent confidence level, which is above global industry benchmarks.
Unsurprisingly, 36 per cent of respondents in Tealium’s study stated that that privacy and regulatory compliance remain within their ‘top three use cases’ for a CDP, next to customer acquisition (37 per cent) and customer retention (43 per cent).
CDP versus non-CDP: Growing divide in AI capabilities
The research also highlights a growing divide between CDP and non-CDP users in AI capabilities. Non-CDP users face increased challenges in supporting AI and ML projects, particularly in areas of data accuracy and privacy compliance, with significantly more time spent on data wrangling.
Meanwhile, CDP users reported faster time-to-value for their AI initiatives.
“We are seeing a clear correlation between CDP maturity and AI success,” said Jeff Lunsford, CEO of Tealium.
“Organisations that have integrated their CDP with AI capabilities are achieving enhanced customer understanding and engagement while maintaining the highest standards of data quality and integrity,” Lunsford added.
Overall, CDP users experience benefits around enhanced data security and compliance with global regulations like GDPR, CCPA and HIPAA.
Intersection of AI and customer data management
The study reveals a transformative shift in how organisations are leveraging AI and ML through their customer data platform investments.
- 81 per cent of CDP users reported high satisfaction with their platform’s ability to support AI and ML projects, marking CDPs as critical enablers of AI innovation.
- More than 54 per cent of users identified real-time insights and predictive analytics as a primary benefit of combining AI with their CDP.
- Respondents stated they are able to better scale their business with AI, with confidence going from 35 per cent to 46 per cent when using a CDP. Additionally, 84 per cent said that a CDP makes AI tasks and projects easier.
The study also reveals that organisations combining CDPs with AI initiatives are better positioned to achieve results in:
- Customer lifetime value prediction
- Churn prevention
- Next-best-action recommendations
- Real-time CX optimisation
- Automated audience segmentation and targeting
Real-time data management emerges as critical CDP success factor
The report found that real-time data management has become indispensable, with 90 per cent of respondents identifying it as crucial for overall business success.
Organisations using customer data platforms report significantly higher satisfaction rates and success metrics compared to non-users, particularly in their ability to meet customers at critical moments in their buying journeys.
For instance, Rohrman Auto Group, one of the largest automotive groups in the Midwest region of the United States, has been innovating with real-time data strategies, achieving a greater ROI when leveraging Tealium’s CDP.
“Having the ability to own our first-party data is critical, especially in the highly competitive and dynamic automotive industry,” said Ryan Rohrman, CEO of Rohrman Auto Group.
“With Tealium’s real-time CDP, we are able to better understand our customers and engage with them in the moments that matter most, overall achieving increased business efficiency, enhanced marketing strategies, and improved data governance and quality,” Rohrman concluded.
