We’re in the era of data – tsunamis of data, in fact, that are growing exponentially. With it comes concerns about what we can learn from the data – separating the melody from the noise – as well as overcoming worries surrounding privacy and fraud. Entity resolution (ER) is an important tool used to address these data issues.
On the cutting edge of ER technology is Jeff Jonas, CEO and Chief Scientist for Senzing, Inc., an artificial intelligence‐based (AI) software company focused on ER.
What Is Entity Resolution (ER)?
In the book “Entity Resolution and Information Quality,” writer Terry Talley states:
Entity resolution is the process of probabilistically identifying some real thing based upon a set of possibly ambiguous clues. Humans have been performing entity resolution throughout history. Early humans looked at footprints and tried to match that clue to the animals that made the tracks.
In the same book, writer John R. Talburt gives it a more formal, scientific view:
Entity resolution is about determining when references to real-world entities are equivalent (refer to the same entity) or not equivalent (refer to different entities). Linking is appending a common identifier to reference instances to denote the decision that they are equivalent.
Other related terms include identity resolution, record linking, record matching, record deduplication, merge-purge, and entity analytics, all of which represent particular forms or aspects of ER.
Jeff Jonas gives ER a simpler and more understandable definition:
ER determines “who is who and who is related to who” in data.
Why Is Entity Resolution Important?
Entity resolution is important to a business because it helps create a single version of the “truth” for any given entity that the business deals with.
The Single Customer View Example
Many companies can relate to the idea of a single customer view. Multiple systems may store separate pieces of information — purchase history, demographics, credit info, loyalty programs, and more — for the same person.
Example:
If your systems send an email blast to K. Coggs, KT Coggs, Katie Coggs, and Kathryn Coggs — are they one annoyed customer receiving four emails or four separate people?
Benefits of Clean Data
Having a single, unified customer view improves data accuracy for advanced and predictive analytics. Without it, you might send the wrong offer or communication — for example, sending Katie Coggs’ product recommendation to her mother, Kathryn.
Detecting Fraud and Ensuring Privacy
ER also plays a vital role in fraud detection — such as when multiple people use the same assets as loan collateral at different branches.
In addition, ER supports compliance with data privacy laws like the EU’s GDPR and California’s CCPA, which grant individuals control over their data — including the “right to be forgotten.”
For example, if KT Coggs requests deletion of her data, failure to recognize that K. Coggs and KT Coggs are the same person could lead to non-compliance fines.
Jeff Jonas – “Wizard of Big Data”
Jeff Jonas addresses all these ER challenges and more as CEO and Chief Scientist at Senzing, Inc. His work ranges from identifying duplicate contacts to uncovering criminal identities in real time across thousands of data sources.
The nickname “Wizard of Big Data” originated from a 2014 National Geographic article that profiled his innovative ER work. Some of his high-profile cases include:
- Identifying potential terrorists
- Detecting fraudulent behavior in casinos
- Connecting loved ones after natural disasters
- Modernizing voter registration systems
Privacy and Legal Data Use
As National Geographic described, Jonas’ systems use only legally obtained data and include privacy safeguards. They connect data points — such as addresses, job applications, and loyalty program details — to detect hidden links between people.
Making ER Accessible
Jonas’ goal is to make high-quality ER technology available to mainstream businesses. Senzing offers both a plug-and-play real-time ER desktop app and an advanced API for developers — removing the need for million-dollar budgets or large IT teams.
Jonas continues to collaborate with government leaders, think tanks, and global executives on innovation, national security, and privacy. He holds over a dozen patents and is one of only five people in the world who have completed every Ironman triathlon currently on the global circuit.
See Jeff Jonas live on “Innovation Sandbox, Powered by Prolifics”
Jeff Jonas will be the first guest for the inaugural season of “Innovation Sandbox, Powered by Prolifics,” a new YouTube Live series featuring today’s brightest minds, latest technologies, and creative ideas.
📅 Date: Thursday, July 9
🕙 Time: 10–10:30 a.m. ET
📺 Where: Prolifics TV
The episode, “We’re LIVE to see the Wizard!”, will be hosted by Greg Hodgkinson, Prolifics’ CTO and Innovation Center leader.
Join us for a dynamic discussion on how entity resolution impacts everyday life, plus insights from Jonas on innovation, AI, and even Ironman training during a pandemic.
