Reflections on the 2026 Open Data Infrastructure Report

When my co-authors Csilla Zsigri, Adrienn Lawson, and I set out to map the state of global data infrastructure on the fifth anniversary of OpenSearch, we sought to capture more than just market statistics. We wanted to document how a prominent open source software project is maturing alongside the rapid, pervasive shift toward enterprise artificial intelligence. Throughout this process, our research team worked closely with Bianca Lewis and the OpenSearch Software Foundation leadership team to ensure our empirical approach addressed the community’s most critical strategic questions.