Alex Williams reports In Big Data To Drive $232 Billion In IT Spending Through 2016 that:
Big data will drive $232 billion in spending through 2016. It will directly or indirectly drive $96 billion of worldwide IT spending in 2012, and is forecast to drive $120 billion of IT spending in 2013.
…They draw several conclusions from their research:
- Big data is not a distinct market. More so, data is everywhere, impacting business in any imaginable way. Its influx will force a change in products, practices and solutions. The change is so rapid that companies may have to retire early existing solutions that are not up to par.
- In 2012, “IT spending driven by big data functional demands will total $28 billion.”Most of that will go toward adapting existing solutions to new demands driven by machine data, social data and the unpredictable velocity that comes with it.
- Making big data something that has a functional use will drive $4.3 billion in software sales in 2012. The balance will go toward IT services such as outside experts and internal staff.
- New spending will go toward social media, social network analysis and content analytics with up to 45% of new spending each year.
- It will cost a significant amount in services to support big data efforts — as much as 20 times higher relative to software purchases. Peopel with the right skill sets are rare and in high demand.
All of that sounds like music to my topic map ears:
- “…not a distinct market.” Not surprising, people want their data to make sense, including with other data. Translates into almost limitless potential application areas for topic maps. At least the ones that can pay the freight
- “…adapting existing solutions to new demands…” Going to be hard without understanding the semantics of data and the existing solutions.
- “…[m]aking big data something that has a function use…” One of my favorites. Simply having big data isn’t enough.
- “New spending will go toward social media…” Easier to make the case that same string != same semantic in social media.
(Apologies to those with the “same string = same semantic” business models. You can fool some of the people some of the time….)
- “…services…as much as 20 times higher relative to software purchase.” Twenty? A little on the low side but I would say its a good starting point for discussion of professional semantic services.
You?