Big data pointless without results

Contrary to what some believe, "big data" is meaningless unless it is subdivided in ways that make it easy for human beings to meaningfully interpret.

In fact, part of the core value of Internet giants like Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent lies in their ability to parse information in ways that give them a more accurate picture of consumer behavior.

Alibaba, for example, does an excellent job at classifying and categorizing a mass of product information and consumer data in a way that helps shoppers find the items they are looking for.

One could say the same about Tencent. Torrents of information flow through all social media networks, yet Tencent products like QQ and WeChat make it easy for people to connect with friends and acquaintances.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes of Baidu's search engine is a robust architecture that helps users find relevant information with its simple interface.

In the financial sector, information compression is also important for industry and equity researchers. They need precise information to help them better understand complicated trends that can go unnoticed by human observers.