Sounds dramatic, I know. But data is all around us. Think of the movie The Matrix, where every object and every person is actually code. Take a moment to look around you. Almost everything you see has or had a place in a database somewhere.

I’ll give you an example. I am in my living room right now. There is a gorgeous SAMSUNG TV in front of me. There is a product listing in not only Samsung’s databases for this item, but Best Buy’s, and even my credit card company has data on file that I purchased this television. My sweet little Pomeranian, Teddy, sitting next to me on the sofa. There is a data record on him through his veterinarian, as well as the state of Georgia for his rabies tag. The Apple Watch on my wrist, is a goldmine of data. Data about my heart rate, what apps I use most frequently, how many steps I take. You see where I’m going?

It used to be the case that companies would collect piles and piles of data, and not do anything with it. Those days are gone. Companies are now realizing how valuable data can be to their businesses. Check out Amazon, have you ever been on their website, searching for a product – only to fall down a rabbit hole of similar items? Or ever logged onto their site and been bombarded with thumbnails of products you would ACTUALLY buy? They designed it that way! Amazon uses your purchase data, your interests, and your searches to recommend products that you are most likely to buy. Predictive analytics!

The great thing about data science and analytics though is that it’s not just limited to use by large companies. Small companies and charitable organizations can benefit too. Let’s say you have a bakery, and you’re trying to figure out what your optimal hours and days of operation should be, or how many people to hire for a seasonal spike, or perhaps which products to stop making because they’re not selling. Data science can answer all of these questions.

This is why data science are one of the most in-demand fields right now. Companies are seeking out competent and capable data scientists and analysts to improve their bottom line. I don’t see this field going away any time soon.