In this blog post, we will look at how data mining technology is changing our daily lives and what role it will play in the future society.
Everyone has probably missed the last bus or subway at least once and had to take a taxi home late at night. In such cases, taxi fares can be expensive, but there is no alternative, so we have no choice but to take a taxi. However, to alleviate this inconvenience, the Seoul Metropolitan Government launched a late-night bus service to enable people to use public transportation even late at night. This decision is considered a successful example of data-based transportation policy, going beyond simply providing convenience. The late-night bus routes were not decided based on mere speculation, but were carefully determined based on vast amounts of data on traffic volume at major subway and bus stations. The late-night buses, which were created through this scientific approach, have been well received by citizens and have contributed to alleviating traffic congestion.
In addition, when searching for books on online shopping sites, you may come across “products that customers who viewed this product also viewed” or “recommended books.” Through these recommendation systems, we often discover and purchase unexpected books. In this way, data mining technology is deeply embedded in our lives and is gradually expanding its influence in more and more areas. Currently, data mining technology is being applied to various fields, such as public transportation, online shopping malls, Internet search engines, social network services, and the financial industry. Data mining refers to the process of processing and analyzing data based on statistical theory and computer processing power to obtain meaningful conclusions. The conclusions drawn from this process bring about practical changes and benefits, such as analyzing individual consumption patterns and supporting corporate decision-making. So, how will data mining change our lives?
Data is the product of a process that processes the world and transforms it into a form that is easy for us to see. Data can exist in any form, including text data consisting of written language, photo data, and even voice and video. For example, the vast amount of text data generated on social media can be used to analyze public sentiment on specific topics. The term “data mining” was coined by combining the word “mine,” which means to extract, with “data.” The goal of data mining is to use data to find relationships and patterns.
Data mining is a field of industrial engineering that reflects the core of industrial engineering, which involves analyzing specific objects using statistics and computer science to identify their characteristics. Text data can be obtained from posts made by users on social networks, and numerical data can be obtained from stock price changes in financial markets. How can data obtained from such diverse sources be processed? This is done through a methodology called statistics and a tool called programming.
There are two main tasks: removing unnecessary data and performing statistical analysis on the remaining data. This process is similar to carefully polishing a rough stone to make a jewel. The results obtained through data mining can be used in various ways, such as predictive analysis, decision support, and marketing strategy development.
How can the data obtained in this way be used? Data mining affects not only our daily lives but also changes in society and the country as a whole. Google, a representative search engine, is attempting to predict changes in society as a whole by using the frequency of specific search terms. For example, if there is a sudden increase in the frequency of search terms related to colds, such as “cold,” “mask,” and “cold medicine,” it can be inferred that a cold epidemic will occur across a wide area.
The results of such data analysis can play an important role in establishing public health policies and provide a basis for governments and institutions to respond quickly. Since data can exist in any form, there are no limits to the areas where data mining can be applied. Natural language processing technology, which has been continuously active over the past decade, has great potential value.
Scholars are developing universal translation tools using enormous amounts of data. Even now, scholars are continuing their research to create a world where people can communicate with each other regardless of language. If language barriers disappear, the world will change dramatically. Furthermore, AI robots that can engage in natural conversation using human language will be developed to keep elderly people company as society ages. This is not just a fantasy, but a technology that is already being implemented in some areas. The healthcare industry will grow as it analyzes real-time physical signals to provide customized medical services. Data mining technology will also flourish in numerous other areas, such as criminal investigations that use various CCTV data networks to track criminals.
We have examined the question of what data is, the process of data mining, its applications, and its future potential. As French philosopher Marcel Proust said, “True discovery is not about finding new things, but about seeing things with new eyes.” Data mining technology will also give us a new way of seeing the world. In the future, data mining will not be a simple tool, but a key driver of a new paradigm.
