Over five years ago, Forbes published a finding that 80% of all recorded data in the world had been generated in the two years leading up to that point. It doesn’t take a huge leap of imagination to deduce what that proliferation looks like now. In fact, Forbes posed that the 2018 figure was indeed likely to double over the same subsequent timeframe.
Some of this data is being channelled towards private service providers. In the era of ecommerce and digital applications, we as citizens are much more willing to give up personal information in exchange for positive experiences.
The key word there, however, is ‘exchange’. What tangible, visible and citable services or perks are we getting for the personal data that is held in public spaces and by the state? Where does the current storage of data leave us as citizens rather than us as consumers?
Given the rhetoric around GDPR, the UK’s Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, and society’s growing familiarity with the data-service transaction, now seems like a perfect opportunity to evaluate how publicly held personal information is being translated into visible, experienced advantages.
Is there now an opportunity for government entities or public operators to make better use of the automation, data analytics and artificial intelligence tools that are out there; to better filter through people’s information, and translate that insight into better decision making for society as a whole?
A transparent and ethical transformation
The GDPR provides a platform for a set of clear positive obligations around the use of personal data. This could become a great leap forward, to pave the way for future progress.
So what’s next? In the future perhaps we will see more proactive use of citizens’ data to foster improved decision making too. As well as investments into the secure and innovative automation technologies that will keep private service providers ahead of the curve.
In fact, there are already isolated examples of a clearer data exchange taking place, or indeed of public arenas adopting more novel solutions to deduce positive outcomes. The Intelligence Lead Assessment Service (ILAS) is a prime example, as an inference and reasoning engine deployed in one region’s police force. The solution, developed by BAE Systems, uses tradecraft from analysts and investigators to filter through data stored on the Force’s systems to generate transparent, unbiased, dynamic and tailored insights for experts to manage and respond more effectively. This is an alternative to traditional methods of manual filtering, which typically require significant time and effort from often-disheartened personnel.
Highlighting such positive benefits of AI and of automation is absolutely pivotal for both sides of any proposed ‘data contract’. If citizens are sitting in fear around how AI is going to take their jobs or form unethical conclusions, then the state is inevitably going to be cautious about utilising it for public-facing decision making.
Filling the gap between challenge and opportunity
Technology is able to spot gaps that humans miss. Given the ever-growing swathe of data being held at state level, it is imperative that innovations are deployed if we’re to spot the opportunities to advance.
In the same way that ILAS is already yielding smarter police investigations – and therefore safer neighbourhoods off the back of more proactive policing – the same can apply to health, education, public spending and a whole host of additional public domains.
Indeed, the deployment of technologies that can exceed human capability by its operation at scale, could reset the balance – turning the data overload challenge into an opportunity.
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