Over the past few decades, the data industry has undergone significant transformations, evolving from a focus on individual productivity to embracing vast amounts of data in the cloud era. This shift has led to more sophisticated use of data to enhance user experiences and business operations, although concerns about data privacy persist. Boris Jabes, the founder of Census, highlights the importance of a centralized approach to data, addressing the challenge of data silos within organizations by enabling various departments to access and utilize consistent and rich data. Census aims to bridge the gap in the modern data stack by operationalizing analytics and facilitating data-driven decisions across business systems. Despite advancements, there is still a long journey ahead towards achieving a fully centralized and actionable data infrastructure. The future promises further integration of software-led approaches across industries, increasing the potential for data to empower users and drive innovation, with Census playing a crucial role in this ongoing transformation.