A decade ago, "open data" was a buzzword in government circles, seen as a key tool for driving innovation, transparency, and economic opportunity. The UK was a world leader, championing the idea that public data should be a public asset. Fast forward to today, and the conversation has changed. While open data hasn't disappeared, its prominence has faded. Key government publications on digital transformation and data, such as the recent Blueprint for Modern Digital Government, don’t even mention open data.
So, what happened? Has the mission been accomplished, with open data principles now seamlessly embedded into standard practice? Or has the focus simply shifted elsewhere? As the UK slides down international open data rankings, it's clear we need to have an honest conversation about the current state of play.
A shift in focus to AI and private data
One reason for this change is the huge rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and a greater focus on privately-held or personal data. The government’s modern industrial strategy now frames data as an "economic asset", with discussions centred on how private companies can access valuable datasets, such as NHS records, to push through innovation and economic growth.
This has sparked a debate about who benefits from the value created. Should the profits generated from public data flow to private entities, or should the public sector see a financial return? This is a very different conversation from the early days of open data, which focused on transparency, public sector efficiency and generating economic value by providing public sector open data for private sector innovation. The rise of AI has also created new challenges. Automated bots, scraping websites for data to train AI models, now account for a huge amount of traffic to open data services. This raises questions about how this data should be managed. Should there be a simple sign-up process, or clearer licensing terms for AI companies? It suggests public sector data owners may need a more active relationship with those building AI models to ensure their data is used in the best way.
The enduring value of open data
Despite this shift, the original arguments for open data are as strong as ever. Making high-quality public data openly available stimulates economic activity and innovation. It also helps government itself work better and is often more cost-effective than controlling access.
We've seen clear success stories. A great example is Ordnance Survey making key datasets like Unique Property Reference Numbers (UPRNs) openly available. Originally used mainly by local authorities, these unique identifiers for properties are now available to all, creating significant value that wasn't possible when they were proprietary. High-quality, non-personal data, such as UPRNs, acts as a foundational layer, enabling better automated analysis, whether by AI or other means.
Let's talk at Open Data Camp
While the context has evolved, the core principles of open data, transparency, efficiency, and public value remain vital. The government may have moved open data down on its priority list, but that doesn’t mean it should be ignored. The lessons we’ve learned from the open data movement can and should be applied to the new data challenges we face.
This is a critical conversation, and it’s why events like Open Data Camp are so important to keep the discussion going. We are proud to be supporting Open Data Camp in Edinburgh this year. We’ll be there, and we look forward to talking about how open data approaches might need to change, how we can move it back up the agenda and ensure public sector data continues to deliver value for everyone.
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