Quality Data Inputs Essential For Machine Learning

Multiple times over the last decade, this column has covered the issue of the importance of data quality in decision making, both by executives as well as machines. Back in 2014, when the "big data" craze was mesmerizing the C-Suite, the warning was issued in Big Data and the Madness of Crowds. More recently in How Bad Data Is Undermining Big Data Analytics from December 2020. Since then, more and more news has emerged regarding the failures of AI and Machine Learning initiatives with the blame given to faulty data as the reason. The recent demise of IBM Watson Health is the latest example.