How The Information Revolution Is Tra... | Big Data:

Big data often tells us that two things are related without explaining the underlying cause. For example, data once revealed that orange cars were half as likely to have defects; while the reason was unclear, the correlation alone was valuable for predicting vehicle reliability. Transformation Across Key Sectors

"Smart cities" utilize sensors and traffic cameras to optimize energy use and improve public service delivery in real time. Risks and Ethical Challenges Big Data: How the Information Revolution Is Tra...

Predictive analytics are used to identify early warning signs of infection in premature babies before symptoms appear. Large-scale genomic sequencing is also enabling personalized medicine tailored to an individual’s genetic profile. Big data often tells us that two things

Companies like Netflix and Amazon use "data exhaust"—the trail of digital interactions we leave behind—to forecast hits and provide personalized recommendations. Secondary uses of data, such as using global transaction records to forecast GDP, often hold more value than the data's original purpose. Risks and Ethical Challenges Predictive analytics are used

The authors identify three core shifts in how we handle information:

Despite the benefits, Mayer-Schönberger and Cukier warn of a "dark side":