How open data can save AI – World Wide Web Foundation

"Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping our world — changing our economies (think Uber and driverless cars), our politics (think Cambridge Analytica and targeted political adverts), and our societies (think predictive policing). While AI systems offer a host of benefits, the risks cannot be ignored. Two recent Web Foundation studies highlight both the risks and opportunities, looking at how AI and algorithms are impacting low and middle-income countries. AI and algorithms require the same basic fuel to work: data. AI systems acquire their intelligence by using data to understand how past problems were solved, and applying this learning to decision-making. The availability of quality data is crucial for AI systems to learn and function effectively.

...Better data is one way to address these risks. Offering data under an open license (i.e., one that allows data to be freely used, modified, and shared by anyone for any purpose) is an effective strategy towards achieving quality...."