Data Capital

In the fourth episode of The Scotsman's Data Capital series, we discuss how data and artificial intelligence can re-shape traditional energy businesses for the future - at a time when they are under intense pressure.

Drilling down into the detail are Barry Walker and Sam Netherwood of Accenture Applied Intelligence, who examine how data and AI are helping oil and gas companies make much smarter decisions about their businesses.

Barry Walker sets the scene by highlighting fundamental changes in the business world: "When we think about the challenges energy and resources companies face, let's first think about their position in the top ten global companies back in 2009 - there were 4 energy companies. Move forward 10 years and 8 of the top 10 are data-led businesses - and resources companies have dropped out of the list."

He also explains about the smart use of data: "How can you marry this proliferation of more data and more information, all of which we cannot possibly read or understand, into small nuggets of information that can really change the way you think about something?"

Sam Netherwood  talks about the cultural change needed to embed smart data use in traditional businesses. He says: "Very few technologies and algorithms on their own can deliver the scale of change needed. We need the right data foundations and capabilities, the right behaviours and a data culture to really unlock the potential we have."

And he urges businesses to make change real - not just scratch the surface: "Changing behaviour is about creating conditions in which people can be incentivised to act with data differently - it's not just about training programmes and branded mouse-mats.

In the third episode of Data Capital, we examine the thorny issue of how to ensure we use data and artificial intelligence effectively - but do not abuse them.

Professor Shannon Vallor, an expert in the challenging relationship between ethics and technology, reminds us that artificial intelligence is "human all the way down" - and insists self-aware machines are NOT about to take over the world.

She says: “There is nothing mysterious or magical about AI - it’s something that is transforming our world but completely reflective of our own human strengths and weaknesses.”

Professor Vallor, the Baillie Gifford Chair in the Ethics of Data and Artificial Intelligence, is joined by Nick Thomas and Kyle McEnery of Baillie Gifford - and Kyle discusses how data and AI can help people invest their money both wisely, and ethically.

In the second episode of the series, we examine how data can support families in the Edinburgh city region suffering from poverty and social isolation.

A new project, the Intensive Family Support Service, is harnessing data to ensure the benefits of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal - especially new job opportunities  - are fairly spread throughout society.

Sarah Galey-Horn of the University of Edinburgh discusses how the new project is seeking to find great examples of family support, and to share that brilliant work across the region.  She is joined by Kate Kelman of the Capital City Partnership and Laura Millar from Fife Gingerbread to explain how data is used and how expertise is pooled to make the lives of families across the city region better. The panel also explore how the pandemic has changed their approach to tackling this issue. From Fife Gingerbread organising evenings for lone parents on zoom to parents building support networks online.

In the first episode, we explore how data is invaluable to the tourism industry. In 2020,  Edinburgh’s world renowned Fringe festival was cancelled, leaving the city eerily quiet in what normally is a peak time for tourism. Josh Ryan-Saha, an expert in data and tourism with the Data Driven Innovation programme talks about the catastrophic drop in visitors to Edinburgh caused by the pandemic - and how data might help bring the tourists back and help the city’s hospitality businesses recover. He is also joined by Galina Andreeva and Ewelina Lacka of the University of Edinburgh, who are involved in innovative data research projects to address these fundamental issues to the Edinburgh city region economy. The panel discuss how their findings can be part of the solution to help the city recover - and why they will never complain about too many tourists in Scotland’s capital again.

This is what you can expect from Data Capital, a new podcast from The Scotsman, hosted by writer and event host David Lee.