Tennessee's Big Bet on Data: Why the Future is Here

The Explosion of Data

• 149 zettabytes of data created, copied, or consumed in 2024
• One gigabyte = 200 songs or 30 minutes of HD video
• 149 trillion gigabytes generated in just one year
• Over 90% of all data created in the past two years

The Role of Data Scientists

• 34% growth in employment for data scientists (2024-2034)
• More than 23,000 job openings each year
• Median annual salary exceeding $112,000
• Tennessee among the fastest-growing states for data-oriented roles

Artificial Intelligence and Data

• AI systems need massive, diverse, and trustworthy data sets
• Data-driven decisions in healthcare, finance, logistics, and more
• Skills needed: gathering, storing, accessing, verifying, interpreting, and communicating data responsibly

Tennessee's Role in the Data Revolution

• Oak Ridge Reservation designated for new AI data center development
• Tennessee Valley Authority provides resilient energy grids
• Data centers popping up in Knoxville, Nashville, and Chattanooga

The Future of Data

• Connect, question, humanize, and secure data
• Universities like the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, preparing future leaders
• Translate data into insight, insight into action, and action into progress
• Tennessee poised to steer the data economy