Data is the new Oil - Bert Verdonck - Connectivity Spotlights 2026

In this keynote session from Connectivity Spotlights 2026, Bert Verdonck delves into the realities of our ongoing data journey, exploring the relationship between raw data, artificial intelligence, and physical infrastructure. Key Highlights & Insights: • Data, AI, and Physical Infrastructure: "Data does not flow on rainbows; it flows on real infrastructure." High-speed networks, edge computing, and data centers are essential to transporting and processing data meaningfully. The parallel between data and oil: raw data must undergo extraction, cleaning, storage, and refinement to become valuable knowledge. Why AI is "the new electricity" powered by high-quality data. • Real-World Challenges Across Sectors: Moving beyond raw data chaos: turning complex datasets into actionable tools (such as Luxembourg's white spots interactive map). Data management challenges in ESG financial reporting, healthcare quality assessments, and public mobility data. • 4 Principles for Better Data Management: Quality over quantity: prioritizing verified and refined datasets over massive, noisy data feeds. Returning to authentic sources (the "gold copy") to avoid costly duplication and errors. Moving from unstructured documents (PDFs, loose text) to structured data at the source. Strengthening data sovereignty, multi-source data integration, and compliance with European values. • 5 Dimensions for Categorizing Data Strategy: Domain & cross-domain harmonization. Data types (structured, transactional, vs. unstructured). Purpose within an organization (service delivery, compliance, research). Openness (public open data vs. anonymized/restricted data). Scale of optimization (local commune, regional, national, or international). • Upcoming Events Mentioned: World Forum on Data Spaces & AI: March 5 (ECCL) Data Summit Luxembourg: December 2 Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction & The Data Journey 1:26 - Why AI Craves Data & The Need for Real Infrastructure 2:12 - Is Data the New Oil? Comparing Data and Oil Refinement 4:05 - AI as the New Electricity & Decentralized Infrastructure 5:41 - Bandwidth Growth & Data Center Workload Expansion 6:29 - Real-World Applications: ESG, Healthcare, and Mobility 10:03 - 4 Principles: Authentic Sources, Structured Data & Sovereignty 14:18 - 5 Strategic Dimensions for Structuring Data 17:09 - Upcoming Dates: World Forum on Data Spaces & Data Summit 2026 #ConnectivitySpotlights #DataStrategy #AI #DataInfrastructure #DigitalTransformation #Luxembourg #MyConnectivity