Domo's latest analysis of platform usage across over 4,500 customers in North America, Japan, and EMEA reveals a significant shift in how businesses manage their data. From March 2020 to March 2025, the percentage of data visualizations sourced from Cloud Data Warehouses (CDWs) surged by 116%, highlighting the increasing reliance on cloud-based solutions for data management.

1. Growth of CDW Usage

   • Initial Usage: In March 2020, data sourced from CDWs accounted for less than 16% of total Domo card views.

   • Current Usage: By March 2025, that figure has more than doubled, with over 33% of card views now coming from CDWs.

   • Increase in Usage: This marks a 116% increase in CDW adoption, demonstrating the rapid evolution of data management strategies.

2. Industry-Specific Trends

   • Media Industry's Shift: Media companies saw the most dramatic shift, going from lagging behind to leading in CDW usage. Now, 57% of their card views are sourced from CDWs, representing a 500% increase over the last five years.

   • Ben Schein's Insight: “The media industry’s shift to cloud platforms is driven by the need for instant access to data, enabling organizations to stay competitive in real-time.”

   • Other Industries:

     • High Tech and Manufacturing: Over 30% of their card views come from CDWs.

     • Financial Services, Retail, and Professional Services: These sectors are growing but still lag behind the 30% mark.

3. Regional Trends in CDW Usage

   • EMEA's Leadership: The EMEA region has seen the most significant increase in CDW usage, doubling its reliance on cloud data since 2020.

   • North America and Japan: These regions have grown their CDW usage by more than 125% over the past five years, though they still trail EMEA in terms of adoption.

4. Regulatory Influence on Cloud Adoption

   • Data Sovereignty in EMEA: European businesses, particularly those in the EMEA region, have accelerated their cloud adoption due to data sovereignty requirements and GDPR compliance.

   • Schein's Perspective: "The regulatory landscape in Europe has driven businesses toward platforms with built-in compliance capabilities, making cloud adoption not just a preference but a necessity."

5. Implications for the Future

   • Cloud Computing Industry Growth: The increase in CDW adoption is a positive sign for the $1 trillion cloud computing industry.

   • AI and Cloud Integration: As AI becomes integral to business operations, cloud data and data products are emerging as essential infrastructure for AI initiatives.

The growth of Cloud Data Warehouses (CDWs) across industries and regions is transforming how businesses handle and leverage their data. From the media industry's swift adoption to EMEA's regulatory-driven surge, CDWs are becoming a key component of modern business infrastructure. As AI and machine learning initiatives continue to evolve, CDWs are poised to play an even more critical role in shaping the future of business data strategy.