Search: How the Data Explosion Makes Us Smarter

CHAPTER 8

A Time to Believe

Let’s assume for a moment that all the challenges of privacy, security, technical capacity and aptitude, and funding that we’ve explored are resolved. It’s a stretch, perhaps, but walk with me for a moment. Many of the challenges seem intractable and certainly not for the faint of heart: Disrupting multibillion dollar enterprises that spin off billions of dollars a year in revenue and shareholder value? Embracing the complexity of a digital self while ensuring personal data is used appropriately and with proper precautions? Building new hardware and software architectures necessary to both consume and process the increasingly digital world?

Any one of these dilemmas could be a lifetime’s work, with no guarantee of ...