How artificial intelligence could deliver genuine social impact

Modern technology has brought about an explosion of data. We now produce about 2.5 quintillion bytes of it every day, with 90pc of all the data in the world estimated to have been created in the last two years. The internet, of course, has been the major catalyst for this development, enabling us to create, share and store information on a massive scale. And, as mobile phone ownership continues to increase (70pc of the world's population is forecast to have one by next year – up from 61pc in 2013) and the internet of things evolves as everything from fitness trackers to fridges come online, there's only going to be more of it. But having this wealth of data is only part of the equation.