Data a 'New Form of Currency' for Utilities, Energy Providers, Says Parks

Some 23 percent of U.S. broadband households plan to buy a smart thermostat in 2019, and 24 percent are likely to buy a smart lightbulb, blogged Parks Associates Monday. Data from such devices is a “new and important form of currency in the IoT ecosystem,” said analyst Brad Russell, saying artificial intelligence and machine learning can unlock the value of data for energy providers.