Miami University in Ohio recently opened its 92,000 square foot McVey Data Science Center. Not a climbing wall, new food court, or administrative building, but "as a place to foster transdisciplinary research, a forum for industry partners to connect, and a venue for academic instruction, student activities, and informal conversation."

Data makes the commercial world go around and companies in all industries need to make use of it. While often discussed in the context of the technologies that control it, the information is what is ultimately of use, whether done with computers, adding machines, abaci, or on papyrus or stone tablets.

With all the talk of artificial intelligence and the need for data in commercial real estate, there is a risky unspoken assumption that vendors will do what a company needs. They will collect data, host it, analyze it, process it with "AI" (whatever that exactly means), and deliver what you need. Unfortunately, this is ultimately a risky approach that companies should avoid.