Data / algorithms: where is the value?

Data is the black gold of the 21st century . This popular metaphor is frequently used by experts and media alike. It considers data as the most precious asset of our time, not unlike oil in the last century. One could take the metaphor one step further, comparing algorithms to refineries since they transform raw data into usable material, just as a refinery transforms oil into gasoline. So, where is the value? In the data or in the algorithm?