Google is trying to measure trends in searcher interest, by logging stats about keyword use and then making these stats available. Google is providing the unfiltered interests of millions of its users at any time period....with a few words the world is your focus group. "Hot-or-not"? Google will tell ya!...by country, by time period, etc.

Is this useful? Absolutely, especially if keywords can be clustered and clusters can be contrasted or linked together. I'd love to know how many people were searching for cars that are lemons, that come from Ford...that woud be neat information to have in decison making...