Data is changing the world and our place in it

In today’s world the number of start-ups using digital technologies as a foundation has never been so great, simply because the marketplace has never been more receptive and conducive to data driven businesses.

There’s potential access to a global market consisting of billions of people. At the same time smartphones provide ubiquitous access to the Internet so companies can become websites and apps without physical products. The low cost of developing applications and software is also playing a role; technology that was only available to big business with deep pockets is now reaching small business. Most of these start-ups use data to drive their businesses. This is the new data economy; individuals, start-ups and large businesses using data to lay down new business models.

Value of experience

But within this context what ever happened to the value of experience? Is it being superseded by the value of data? For instance 40 years ago you would work through your chosen profession and accumulate a vast reservoir of knowledge and experience. This would be invaluable and your skills would be valued at a premium.

But today as you move through workplaces expectations are different. People are no longer expected to stay in one profession for life. As digital start-ups multiply, based on data models, more employment opportunities appear and more skills are required. It’s known as the flexible marketplace and it’s also characterised by more people moving into freelance work. In the US alone the majority of the U.S. workforce will be freelance within a decade according to United States Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2017.

Drive to freelance

In this world of data driven opportunities we all have marketable skills which theoretically dovetail perfectly with emerging freelance economies. But how do people use their knowledge, experience and skills to make money and invest more in the things they are really interested in? In practise there is very little help to enable people to do this. Of course people are doing it, but it’s in an ad hoc manner largely driven by the individuals themselves. But there currently isn’t a single service that facilitates this.

This is what we are creating at Humans.net. It’s a service that lets millions of individuals around the world monetise, market and sell their experience and knowledge to others who need these skills, whether it’s an individual or company.

Overhauling traditional business

It allows both businesses and individuals to make money from aggregated data; it’s an entirely new business model but one which mirrors the increasing importance of data. Traditionally when an organisation is seeking an individual or an individual seeking work opportunities they match and meet via agencies, online ads, newspaper ads and so on.

But our model overhauls this radically. The business offer may still be on the table but the difference is that offers are made on recommendations. For instance, an individual may be drawn to an opportunity because of multiple recommendations made by peers while a company may be drawn to an individual because of multiple recommendations from others.

On a global scale

And it’s on a global scale. Google changed the world because it enabled access to information in a revolutionary way. Anyone from anywhere in the world can access any type of information at any time. Platforms such as Humans will ultimately have a similar impact providing access to human skills, knowledge and expertise on a scale never previously seen. And people will gravitate towards it because it enables them to use and monetise skills like never before while drawing on their skills and expertise in areas that they truly like working in.

Imagine that you want to visit the Azerbaijani city of Baku. You’d like to see its medieval walled old city, the Palace of the Shirvanshah and the iconic stone Maiden Tow but you also want to experience parts of the city that are off the tourist track. Or let’s suppose you’re a gourmet and would like to visit some low-profile, but well served and popular restaurants in London.

Unique and individual

Humans is the perfect platform; it connects you directly with people who can provide these services, who promote these services on the platform, who are experts because they live in these places. It ensures a unique individual experience that cuts out the middleman.

There are countless ways to monetise knowledge and skills whether it’s professional and traditional services such as a maid or babysitter, or whether it’s a niche service such as a magician for children’s parties or a private language teacher for Spanish. Somebody who has spent their career in banking may also be a bit of wizard at maintaining classic cars, a primary school teacher may have acquired a lot of experience around child development, a chef may be a karate black belt, a secretary may be a top gardener, an account manager may be a seriously good mountain climber and so on.

Landscape gardening or quantum physics?

There’s also endless scope to provide more academic training such as mechanical engineering, the art of poetry, accountancy, landscape gardening, quantum physics and so on. The list is virtually endless. You could study when and how you want, face-to-face or over an Internet telephony service.

But all of this is impossible without a basic data-driven platform such as that being developed by Humans. Perhaps some of you think this is a bit far-fetched but it’s not. It’s already here and growing. And it’s the future. In 1998 faxes were used to communicate information, in 2008 everything became electronic and in 2028 data-driven platforms like Humans will provide you with access to every person you want to and with every skill and expertise imaginable.