For organisations hampered by limited data intelligence, manual workflows in distributed work environments, and talent shortages that limit customer-centric innovation, the need for robust and flexible data management solutions has never been greater. These solutions must unify, operationalise, protect, and activate information stored in physical and digital unstructured and structured data.

Generative AI has heightened the value and need to innovate using data of all types, particularly unstructured data - which has remained largely untapped compared to structured data from databases or tables. Unstructured data expands the possibilities that structured data alone simply cannot match due to the rich, varied, and detailed information in text, audio, video, images, and other information that does not have a set format.

Using unstructured data - which may be stored in filing cabinets and boxes or analogue or digital formats - organisations can leverage emerging AI capabilities to deliver more comprehensive insights and automation to improve efficiency and customer experience.

Traditional data management processes are inadequate for handling the vast amounts of unstructured data which holds valuable insights but also poses significant security and compliance risks if not properly managed.

Getting unstructured data ready for generative AI

Since the rise of generative AI, managing and leveraging unstructured data has become even more important for organisations. Research involving 700 IT and data decision-makers, sponsored by Iron Mountain, reveals that 93% of organisations are already utilising generative AI. Furthermore, 96% agree that a unified asset strategy--which helps optimise and secure unstructured data--is critical to the success of generative AI use cases.

Iron Mountain InSight® Digital Experience Platform (DXP) addresses these challenges by offering a unified solution for consolidating and transforming both physical and digital data. By leveraging advanced AI capabilities like intelligent document processing (IDP), InSight DXP ensures that data is not only secure and compliant but also easily accessible and actionable. This enables organisations to maintain a comprehensive view of their operations, improve efficiency, and drive strategic initiatives.

The modular platform includes secure AI-powered chat, enabling fast access to data trapped within documents. With this capability, users can quickly query data and documents in a secure, isolated environment separate from publicly-available generative AI applications.

InSight DXP users report many benefits including:

• 40% less time to find and retrieve documents and information
• 55% efficiency lift related to cataloging and understanding documents and information
• 25% reduction in time spend on audits

Streamlining complex information ecosystems

InSight DXP streamlines complex ecosystems by digitising physical information, automating workflows, and enhancing information management capabilities. This not only simplifies tasks such as onboarding and compliance audits but also frees up valuable time for employees to focus on innovation and strategic growth. With pre-built connectors, workflows, and metadata tagging, the platform makes it easy to search, categorise, and activate data effectively.

InSight DXP supports a variety of industries, from healthcare to banking, as well as traditional back-office functions such as invoice processing and human resources.

As just one example, Iron Mountain’s Digital Human Resources solution provides secure employee file management in a centralised platform so that physical and digital documentation is complete, up-to-date, and compliant with employee records requirements. This unified approach improves day-to-day operations so HR professionals can focus on strategic initiatives that drive their organisation's success. 

For example, automated workflows streamline employee onboarding by routing documents to the new employee for completion. HR can then monitor progress via the employer dashboard, while automated emails remind the employee to submit missing information by deadlines. This process keeps records up-to-date and compliant, reduces audit time, and potentially lessens employee dissatisfaction by simplifying administrative tasks. 

The benefit of a low-code approach

Creating custom automated workflows in-house is made possible by the platform’s low-code solution designer with intuitive drag-and-drop features that intelligently process and unlock insights from content. This approach can accelerate innovation, reduce development time, and lower costs, making it easier for organisations to adapt to changing business needs. Iron Mountain’s Professional Services team is available to build more advanced workflows.

By integrating InSight DXP, organisations can enhance their operational efficiency, maintain compliance with industry standards, and drive digital transformation initiatives that position them for long-term success.

Narasimha Goli is Chief Technology and Product Management Officer, Iron Mountain.