The Forrester Tech Tide™: Cloud Data Platforms, Q2 2025 provides an essential analysis of the maturity and business value of 20 technology categories that underpin cloud data platforms. Choosing the right architecture for cloud data platforms is increasingly critical for organizations to leverage data and AI successfully, where flexibility, lower total cost of ownership and AI-readiness  are key to improved customer experiences, foster innovation, and fuel revenue growth.

The report outlines how to shape your firm's investment approach by categorizing technologies and architectures into four strategic zones: Experiment, Invest, Maintain, and Divest, based on their business value and maturity. Modern cloud data platforms and the lakehouse architecture in particular are highlighted for their ability to deliver cutting-edge automation, integrated data intelligence, and personalized experiences, accelerating real-time analytical use cases and supporting converged, globally distributed data capabilities.