Which countries are leading data generation? While China and the United States may emerge as two big data superpowers, data sources are not locally concentrated like other materials – they are generated by a number of spread out applications, both current and potential.
The volume of data produced by a country can show which countries are leading the technological race. That’s because new technologies, like smart devices and advanced machinery, are the main data generators.
Harvard Business Review did a bold job: mapping the digital and competitive evolution of different countries in the world. In order to carry out the research, HBR identified the “Gross Data Product” index, based on four criteria: Volume, Use, Accessibility and Complexity.
Volume: Absolute amount of broadband consumed by a country.
Usage: Number of users active on the internet.
Accessibility: Institutional openness to data flows as a way to assess whether the data generated in a country permits wider usability and accessibility by AI researchers, innovators, and applications.
Complexity: Volume of broadband consumption per capita.
While the United States scores well on all three criteria, China operates at a disadvantage if global data accessibility is considered essential for building successful AI applications.
If the EU (then including the UK) acted collectively, it would represent a key producer that could rival the US. In addition, the BRICS nations, Brazil, India and Russia, could emerge as strong competitors, mainly in the strengths of the raw data they produce; however, they are hampered by accessibility issues.
Assigning weights equivalent to all criteria, a classification of “new” data generation leaders appears in an updated world order:
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Did you know that the Boeing 787 aircraft can generate 40 terabytes per flight hour? It is equipped with a series of sensors capable of reducing fuel consumption, adjusting speeds, predicting failures and much more.
The Internet of Things provides workers in the mining industry much more security. A mining operation can generate up to 2.4 terabytes per minute, with sensors in machinery
Smart vehicles are an almost inexhaustible source of data. They transmit data to manufacturers, road operators, driver, authorities, insurers, etc.
According to Machina Research, the amount of data generated by Smart Cars could crash internet networks in 2024. That’s because, in rush hours, 2.3 billion vehicles would be generating data at the same time.
Smart sensors are able to collect data on how much energy, water or gas is being used every minute. That information alone sends an unimaginable amount of terabytes to the servers. And this is just one of the possible applications in the industry.
Cisco estimates that by 2019 more than 578 million wearables would be generating data. Data production varies by device, but the number grows exponentially.
One of the first fundamentals, an adopt smart devices for health. Hospitals use connected devices for all types of surgery and procedures. This data needs to be stored with special care, as it will be analyzed and will generate new, even more complex data.
Smart homes are already a reality and the sensor ecosystem grows exponentially in 2020. Research predicts that a single connected home can generate 1GB per week. Thus, UK Smart Homes alone can generate 26 million gigabytes per week.