Fivetran Unveils Benchmark to Expose Data Access Barriers for AI Workloads

Event summary

  • Fivetran launched the Open Data Infrastructure (ODI) Data Access Benchmark on April 22, 2026, evaluating how enterprise software vendors restrict or enable data access for AI workloads.
  • The benchmark assesses vendors across coverage, performance, and egress charges, highlighting technical and commercial barriers to data access.
  • Fivetran CEO George Fraser noted that data access restrictions often push companies toward walled-garden ecosystems, limiting AI deployment flexibility.
  • The benchmark is part of Fivetran's broader Open Data Infrastructure initiative, aiming to standardize data access evaluation across enterprise platforms.

The big picture

As AI becomes central to enterprise operations, data access restrictions are emerging as a critical bottleneck. Fivetran's benchmark highlights how technical and commercial barriers limit the scalability of AI deployments, pushing organizations toward open data infrastructure solutions. The initiative reflects a broader industry shift toward transparency in data access, as companies seek to avoid vendor lock-in and optimize AI workloads.

What we're watching

Vendor Response
Whether enterprise software vendors will address the highlighted data access restrictions to avoid customer pushback.
Benchmark Expansion
The pace at which Fivetran will expand the benchmark to include additional vendors and data sources.
AI Deployment Impact
How the benchmark will influence organizations' decisions to adopt or avoid specific vendors for AI workloads.