Your first AI use case does not need a perfect corporate database. It does need clear sources, owners responsible for keeping them current, and access rules.
Define the source of truth
If a policy, presentation, and email thread give different answers to the same question, a model cannot resolve the organisational contradiction. Set the priority of sources and assign an owner to every data set.
Remove obvious noise
Archived versions, duplicates, and unstructured documents reduce retrieval quality. Start with a limited set of current materials, then expand coverage based on real user queries.
Preserve access permissions
An AI interface must not reveal information an employee cannot access in the source system. Design roles, query auditing, and personal-data handling before connecting a model.
Data quality is not a one-time cleanup before launch. It is a process that evolves with the system’s use.