'T.N. likely to see use of big data ahead of Lok Sabha polls'

With a number of political parties across the world using big data to reach out to voters during elections, Tamil Nadu too is likely to see the use of big data combined with artificial intelligence ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. With the voters' list, census data, data from all the past elections and social media chatter, parties could crack the polls, addressing issues that are key to voters, according to K. Swaminathan, founder and CEO, Aspire Ventures. Building on the platform he provided to late Jayalalithaa during the 2014 and 2016 elections, Mr. Swaminathan has developed the'Analytical Software for Psephological Influencers Research and Engagement' or Aspire 2.0 as he calls it, which uses AI and machine learning to provide real-time inputs to enable leaders to address issues or plan for the polls. Mr. Swaminathan, who was former secretary of the AIADMK IT wing, insists that the platform is "party independent" and can be used by any political party. The software enables a party to look at voting patterns from the previous elections and at data to identify gaps and ensure that they are plugged.