“Data Ownership” is a buzzword, but what users really need are data relationships.

When people talk about data ownership, the default assumption is that at some point, a user will be able to sell that data to some data consumer in a transaction. Many have tried to ascribe a lot of value to this model of data ownership, but it’s just not as big of an opportunity as people think. Data relationships however are quite different in their size and opportunity.

A data relationship differs from a data purchase. Data purchase, particularly when it’s aggregated and anonymized data, like a user contributing data to a pool, is passive, lacking a feedback / action loop from the data purchaser. Even if the data is a stream, it’s a single purchase.

This is not what DIMO is building (although we support it). We’re building the ability for users and developers to have relationships which require data. Here’s what a few loops might will look like on DIMO:

• A car dealer sells a DIMO Device with the DIMO Mobile app to a driver.

• That user shares their data back with dealer. The dealer pays for this data, with some revenue going back to the user and some going back to the DIMO protocol.

• If the driver’s vehicle throws an error code, both driver and dealer can see that data. Dealer can offer a targeted service, user pays, and the car gets fixed.

Data and dollars are being exchanged, but the basis of the value is in how data will drive decisions between the two parties.

Relationships create more economic value than transactions, as is obvious because this implies the existence of more than 1 tx. Relationships are many txs, and are informed by feedback loops.

Socially, relationships are dynamic and perpetuating. One relationship may lead to another (friend introduces you to another friend). This happens in the data world too:

• A user uses DIMO and to collect their vehicle data.

• The user shares data with car mechanic AI agent, paying a subscription. The car AI agent pays protocol.

• Along the line, the agent recommends a service and service provider, referring the user to a shop and collecting revenue for referral.

This relationship benefits multiple parties at once.

Data ownership only matters if it goes along with the ability to enter data relationships. Relationships are possible with 3rd party developers building on your platform, and this, not just a large set of aggregated data, is the DIMO mission. We want to make every car on Earth programmable by any developer.

Connect you car today, start collecting your data, and soon you can start to connecting it to more entities and relationships.