Data is not the new oil; it is our enduring, infinitely reusable collective memory.
In short: Victoria Baines challenges the common cliché that data is merely a commodity like oil. This lecture explores how humanity has used diverse formats—from ancient maps to modern infographics—to process, visualize, and make sense of our world throughout history.
Recorded on 25th February 2025 at Barnard's Inn Hall in London, this lecture examines the long-standing human relationship with data. Baines argues that data's true value lies in its infinite reusability and its fundamental role in building and reinforcing our collective memory.
Victoria Baines serves as the IT Livery Company Professor of Information Technology. Her extensive background includes roles at Jesus College, Cambridge, the British Foreign Policy Group, and the British Computer Society, alongside previous guest lectureships at Stanford University in 2019 and 2020.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Data: A Love Story for the Ages - Victoria Baines
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