— Do we trust algorithms? Sure we do, even in a time when testing computer programs for correctness is impossible. But should we? Namely when policy algorithms are making decisions based on black box models. Yes, data is making big look small every day, and black boxes (or even transparent ones) are becoming so large (almost said big there) that no one seems to understand how they work. We just rely blindly on what they output and an policy makers remove any emotional connection (and responsibility) from their decisions. Slate writes about some of the emerging dangers in law enforcement, welfare and child protection because of the use of these black box algorithms.
— And if we don’t trust algorithms, what about AI? Artificial INTELLIGENCE? Isn’t that more and more like ALIEN INTELLIGENCE? Ok, stop with the fun and go down to The Economist for another shot of your daily dose of FEAR. The article covers mostly what is being done in terms of Deep Learning — great stuff by the way and probably the best new thing after my mother in law’s chocolate cakes.
— Up next in the show, a few more connections between AI, Aartificial Birds and Aeroplanes. Even if the take home topic is Turing AI and the differences between fiction and reality — Isn’t that the real problem always?
— Next, a revisitation of one of the earliest Social Network works from the 1930s reveals interesting new insights on the network structure visualisation practices of one of the most studied works. Yey, this one is not AI related!
— Finally, but still speaking of Visualisation, in R, you can do it too… just enrol.