What is Big Data? Does it matter in Africa and why? How can South Africa make the most of Big Data? And can we still trust Big Data after the opinion polls got it wrong in the recent US elections and BREXIT?

Big Data is watching you. Intelligent systems and Big Data analytics already affect our lives at many levels, from approving our loans to analysing traffic accidents and predicting the spread of diseases.

While Big Data offers an incredible glimpse into global society, the continent of Africa is starkly absent. Analyses of traditional large datasets like social media capture the local events and perspectives of African countries very poorly. Yet, with a special focus on Africa and the addition of technologies like machine translation, is it not possible to bring the continent back into the view of “big data” analytics? Is it time for Africa to embrace Big Data?

In this session of Science & Cocktails Johannesburg, Bhekisipho Twala, director of the newly-formed Institute for Intelligent Systems at the University of Johannesburg, will introduce us to the rapidly advancing technology that makes Big Data possible, expand on the challenges preventing the take-off of Big Data in Africa, and show how universities, industry, government and communities can come together to address these challenges and effectively use Big Data for the economic benefit of society.

Afterwards, smoky hand-crafted cocktails at the bar will slow the flow of data while Hlulani Hlangwane and her band take the stage with a distinctive mix of soul and jazz.