In the Adaptive and intelligent data (AIDA) project we propose a radical paradigm shift by making the data in the network to be the key entity. Naturally, this requires some “smartness” in the network in order to allow for complicated processing of data, but conceptually this shifts the control from the network to the data (and the creator of the data). AIDA will use computational capabilities of network elements as naturally as passive packets have used transmission capacity of links and buffer space in routers in the past. We will achieve this by introducing artificial intelligence into the network and exploit the learning and adaptation possibilities that it offers. Combining AI, machine learning, and similar adaptation technologies with Internet networking is a new area of research, both in AI as well as in networking. The key research question we seek to answer is how can artificial intelligence help make the network and its services better, both for the users and network operators alike.