Drill Baby Drill: Is Data Really the New Black Oil — or Just Fuel for Dumber Decisions?

Panel Title📊 “Drill Baby Drill: Is Data Really the New Black Oil — or Just Fuel for Dumber Decisions?”Session BlurbWe’ve heard it all before: data is the new oil. But is endless drilling making us smarter — or just drowning us in dashboards? From predictive policing to TikTok algorithms, the promise of “data-driven” often looks more like “bias-baked.” This panel goes beyond the slogans to ask:Who actually benefits when data is treated like oil — and who gets left behind?Are organisations mistaking more data for better insight?How do we stop analytics from reinforcing systemic bias and start driving real innovation?What does an ethical, human-centred future of data look like?Expect sparks, not spreadsheets — as technologists, creatives, and policy voices debate whether data is our greatest resource or our biggest blind spot.Audience Takeaways✅ How to spot the difference between insight and information overload✅ Real talk on algorithmic bias and its impact on culture & society✅ Frameworks for using data ethically and intelligently✅ Why diversity in data teams changes the outcome, not just the optics