There are moments in time when the world changes forever; any war, the discovery of electricity, the invention of the wheel, and communication platforms like Facebook emerging. When you look at these moments, you can't deny that the course of history was changed forever. Now, most only get to change history once in a lifetime, but Mark Zuckerberg is changing the world again—and this time he's not fulfilling a want, but a need.
While some might argue this need is born out of the creation of Facebook, I argue that it would have existed regardless of who or what took over the internet. I am talking about META.
What is META?
Well, it's a Canadian company that the Chan Zuckerberg Institute has acquired as a part of their initiative to make the world a better place. The mission is clear; take all scientific data from legitimate sources, translate it for easy consumption, make that information available to the world ... oh, and make it free as well.
Why is this a Game Changer?
An issue in our society was brought to light as a result of the most recent US election. It's been around for quite some time, but this issue was exasperated by Trump vs Clinton. That issue is fake news. Now, to understand why this is important is to first understand what fake news is. I'm not talking about a reporter at a major media source getting a story wrong, and then correcting it. That's just a mistake, and humans make them, so get over it. I'm talking about real, unverifiable fake news that leans in opinion to sway a reader one way or another through deceit. I really wish Trump's people would note that difference in public, so people can stop using the term wrong.
What META does is use AI to sift through data, verify it, and then make it available in a place that can be trusted. Essentially, it cuts out the possibility of The Onion being mistaken for real news, opinions at HuffPo being confused for fact, and it also removes the "alternative facts" argument from science.
This is a First Step to a Better World
I believe this to be a first step. Science will be available to the world free of charge, and you won't see any stories that aren't scrutinized by the AI (which is far more rational than the human brain).
So, in the near future—within a decade or so—expect to see this model adapted for politics, product information, nutrition information, etc. With this tech, we're able to finally have access to the best sourced, most accurate information without wondering if an opinion swayed the release.
What a Glorious New World
This is huge. Make no mistake about it. Think about what truth could mean for your business. Smear campaigns by desperate competitors will vanish. Your products will be certified awesome, because you will be a part of a trusted source. Websites that aim to confuse any subject will be rendered obsolete.
Now, I know I'm getting a bit ahead of myself, but that's where the world is going. Responsible and transparent CEOs like Mark Zuckerberg with his wife, Priscilla Chan, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and others are taking over, and leaving the Rockefeller's and others without a hope and a prayer.
Today is a day that you can tell your grandkids about. Today is a victory for truth. You may not see it yet, but the future is knocking on the door, and it's ready to kick the past's ass. I for one, couldn't be more excited about it.
Written by; Jay Hall - Chief Strategist