Big data has the potential to provide more comprehensive insights by analyzing larger data volumes and varieties, including unstructured data. This enables analyzing the entire population rather than just samples, allowing correlations to be discovered rather than just causal relationships. Big data is characterized by its volume, velocity and variety - the vast amounts of data being generated and the need to process both structured and unstructured real-time data from diverse sources. Current applications of big data include product recommendations, business consulting, data systems, and data analytics. Analyzing big data will increasingly underpin competition and drive innovation.