Below is a list of the most popular topics associated with Data, ordered and ranked according to the highest number of Google and Google Scholar search results.
AI
Artificial intellegence (AI) returns the most google search results of all the data related subjects listed here, although ranks ony 2 for Google Scholar search results.
J. McCarthy, (2004) defines AI as “the science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs. It is related to the similar task of using computers to understand human intelligence, but AI does not have to confine itself to methods that are biologically observable”.
Rank: Google 1, Google Scholar 2
Machine Learning
Machine Learning ranks as the highest Google Scholar search result of subjects listed here, suggesting it is used or researched more in academia than AI up to this point in time (August 2022).
IBM define Machine learning as “a branch of artificial intellegence and computer science which focuses on the use of data and algorithms to imitate the way that humans learn, gradually improving its accuracy.”
RANK: Google 2, Google Scholar 1
Data Science
“Data Science is the use of scientific methods to obtain useful information from computer data, especially large amounts of data”, (Cambridge Dictionary, 2022).
This definition is simple enough, but in contrast to its broad use, especially in job roles and responsibilities. Data Science encompass all, but not limited to the following: gathering, cleaning, analysing and storing data; analysing, interpreting and visualisation data using mathematics, statistics and computer science, often through the use of programming languages.
Rank: Google 3, Google Scholar 6
API
Application Programming Interface, API’s “are mechanisms that enable two software components to communicate with each other using a set of definitions and protocols. For example, the weather bureau’s software system contains daily weather data. The weather app on your phone “talks” to this system via APIs and shows you daily weather updates on your phone”, (AWS).
Rank: Google 4, Google Scholar 8
Big Data
“Big Data refers to data that is too large or complex for analysis in traditional databases because of factors such as the volume, variety, and velocity of the data to be analyzed”, (Microsoft).
Rank: Google 5, Google Scholar 4
Data Analytics
“The identification of meaningful patterns within large bodies of data through the use of computers, and the prediction of future patterns, in order to gain insights that improve organizational decision making”, (Oxford Dictionary, 2022).
Rank: Google 6, Google Scholar7
Deep Learning
“Deep learning is a subset of machine learning, which is essentially a neural network with three or more layers. These neural networks attempt to simulate the behavior of the human brain—albeit far from matching its ability—allowing it to “learn” from large amounts of data. While a neural network with a single layer can still make approximate predictions, additional hidden layers can help to optimize and refine for accuracy”, (IBM).
Rank: Google 7, Google Scholar 5
Data Mining
“Data Mining is the process of extracting useful information from an accumulation of data, often from a data warehouse or collection of linked data sets. Data mining tools include powerful statistical, mathematical, and analytics capabilities whose primary purpose is to sift through large sets of data to identify trends, patterns, and relationships to support informed decision-making and planning”, (SAP).