Semantics in the age of the data deluge

Abstract

Semantic technologies are usually considered as a key factor for dealing with the huge amount of data available today (also called "Data Deluge"). However, there are analysts who say that the availability of massive data volumes gives boost to statistical analysis in a way that will make semantics (as well as theories in general) useless. This paper is a brief refutation of this point of view. Meanings are important, and there is not a statistical way to capture their essence. On the other hand, the slow progress of the Semantic Web and the success of semantic-less engines like Google, support semantic scepticism someway. This paper argues that semantics is not an easy matter, and most of computer scientists have not taken it seriously enough so far. Nonetheless, semantics is there and plays a crucial role. More focused research can help leveraging few but important things that we know about meanings, to drive the development of better information systems at the age of the Data Deluge. © Springer Physica-Verlag 2010.