How Will Wolfram Alpha Enable Users to Create Value?
I’ve been messing around with Wolfram|Alpha and I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s essentially a computer driven version of Wikipedia.
Wikipedia’s major advantage is that its users create value by editing, creating, and improving content. Essentially, Wikipedia gives its users a platform to create value. This is one of the basic principles of success in the Web 2.0 era. Basically, you’re getting your users to do your work for free.
For example, Flickr users create value by tagging photos with relevant metadata which allows for searching and marketing activities. A photo of the Eiffel tower may be tagged with words like “Paris”, “France”, “Eiffel Tower”, etc. This allows users to quickly find that photo via search or browsing and allows marketers to target specific keywords and photos. Traditional stock photography companies spend huge amount of money on employing people to tag their photo collections. Think of the costs that Flickr is saving.
Currently, the data that drives Wolfram|Alpha is combined and curated by the Wolfram|Alpha team. These are internalized costs. Basically, it’s the Wolfram|Alpha team that is creating value. The resources it would require to turn Wolfram|Alpha into a truly useful tool are just too much for one company to bear with internal staff. In the Web 2.0 universe, users create value and platforms that don’t allow users to do this face an uphill battle.