Chapter 1, The Database of Intentions Summary

The author envisions a Database of Intentions, where Internet search companies, Google in particular, build databases of popular search terms and analyze the data to determine what people want. After the terrorist attacks in 2001, the top popular search terms, as listed on Google's Zeitgeist page, were Nostradamus, CNN, World Trade Center and anthrax, reflecting a general trend change in the American culture. This kind of information can be used to determine what people are buying, planning to buy or avoiding, and the information can be sold to clients as marketing research. Additionally, doctorate candidates in cultural anthropology, psychology, history and sociology will likely find the Database to be a valuable research tool.

The CEO of Google, Eric Schmidt, initially disagrees with the author. He says that Google is looking for the next billion-dollar technology market...