The interferon (IFN) family and the type‐I IFNs specifically have an important and well‐characterized role in antiviral defence, immune modulation and cell‐cycle control and are regularly applied in the clinical context. Advances in high‐content technologies have facilitated an enhanced understanding of the global IFN response capable of being induced. Recent application of these technologies is improving our understanding of the specificity and subtleties associated with this response. This review considers our current understanding of the temporal gene profile induced through IFN stimulation across a diversity of disease conditions including autoimmune diseases, bacterial and viral infections. Understanding these signatures, the disease‐specific differences and the biological effects induced has the potential to facilitate IFN‐driven therapeutic development.