Observation
Most public datasets are too thin, too stale, or too generic to support repeated product decisions.
Implication
The defensible asset is not access to a model. It is a collection system that keeps turning messy external reality into usable internal structure.
Working belief
If a dataset matters enough to sit in the middle of a product, it probably has to be built, cleaned, and versioned in-house.
Next step
- Track where external data breaks under repeated use.
- Turn those breakpoints into collection priorities.