Data is more accessible today than anyone could have imagined only a few decades ago. From corporate databases to Internet-connected repositories, data is exploding. It is the lifeblood of the digital economy and is projected to grow 40 per cent a year into the next decade. In the process, it is unleashing a new wave of innovative digital services and opportunities for businesses, governments and people around the world.
As more of the world goes online, there are increasing opportunities for enterprises, governments and consumers to use data in new ways. For example, data allows us to learn about customers, optimisebusiness processes, better customise products and services. Add the Internet to the mix and you have a world of data possibilities that can be built upon a foundation of cloud computing, mobility, social networking.
But for those possibilities to be realised, the data has to be accessible. The more accessible it is, the more opportunities there are for everyone. That's where Open Data comes in.