Eric Siegel
Gregory Piatetsky
Los Angeles, CA, United States
Contact Eric
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
| Recent: |
|
| Past: |
|
Past articles by Eric:
When Machine Learning Knows Too Much About You
If machine learning models predict personal information about you, even if it is unintentional, then what sort of ethical dilemma exists in that model? Where does the line need to be drawn? There have already been many such cases, some of which have become overblown folk lore while others are… → Read More
Six Ethical Quandaries of Predictive Policing
When predictive machine learning models are applied to real-life scenarios, especially those that directly impact humans, such as cancer detection and other medical-related applications, the risks involved with incorrect predictions carry very high stakes. These risks are also prominent in how machine learning is applied in law enforcement, and serious… → Read More
When Does Predictive Technology Become Unethical?
With machine learning, companies and governments can predict an awful lot about you. → Read More
Accuracy Fallacy: The Media’s Coverage of AI Is Bogus
Such as the gross exaggerations Stanford researchers broadcasted about their infamous "AI gaydar" project, there exists a prevalent "accuracy fallacy" in relation to AI from the media. Find out more about how the press constantly misleads the public into believing that machine learning can reliably predict psychosis, heart attacks, sexuality,… → Read More
The Persuasion Paradox – How Computers Optimize their Influence on You
How do computers optimize mass persuasion – for marketing, presidential campaigns, and even healthcare? And why is there actually no data that directly records influence or persuasion, considering it's so important? And what's the ideal technique for optimizing your dating life and for getting more people to wash their hands in public restrooms? It's time for Dr. Data's persuasion paradox… → Read More
Five Ways Your Safety Depends on Machine Learning
Note: This article is based on a transcript of The Dr. Data Show episode, “Five Ways Your Safety Depends on Machine Learning” (click to view). Your safety depends on machine learning. This technology protects you from harm every day by guiding the maintenance of bridges, buildings, and vehicles, and by guiding healthcare providers and law enforcement officers. This puts you in good hands.… → Read More
AI is a Big Fat Lie
By Eric Siegel, Predictive Analytics World. Note: This article is based on a transcript from The Dr. Data Show. Two of Schwarzenegger's iconic, titular roles: Kindergarten Cop and The Terminator. AI is a big fat lie. Artificial intelligence is a fraudulent hoax — or in the best cases it’s a hyped-up buzzword that confuses and deceives. The much better, precise term would instead usually be… → Read More
Why Ice Cream Is Linked to Shark Attacks – Correlation/Causation Smackdown
By Eric Siegel, Predictive Analytics World. Soda and ice cream are linked to violence. What the what? And people have concluded from data that smoking, chocolate, and curly fries are good for you. Why the when? I'll explain -- but also go much further and show you… wait for it… that figuring out why such things are true doesn't even matter at all for driving decisions with data. Who the how?… → Read More
Why Vegetarians Miss Fewer Flights – Five Bizarre Insights from Data
A “Robot Scientist” – Machine learning automates a kind of scientific research By Eric Siegel, Predictive Analytics World It’s weird: Vegetarians miss fewer flights. It’s wacky: People who like "curly fries" on Facebook are more intelligent. You're traveling through a dimension whose boundaries are that of imagination. Well, it’s not really The Twilight Zone, but let's call it "The… → Read More
Dr. Data Show Video: Five Reasons Computers Predict When You’ll Die
Watch the latest episode of The Dr. Data Show, which answers the question, “Why do computers predict when you'll die?” – with five example reasons! About the Dr. Data Show. This new web series breaks the mold for data science infotainment, captivating the planet with short webisodes that cover the very best of machine learning and predictive analytics. Full Transcript of This Episode Please note… → Read More
Dr. Data Show Video: What the Hell Does “Data Science” Really Mean?
By Eric Siegel, Predictive Analytics World. Watch the latest episode of The Dr. Data Show, which answers the question, “What the hell do data science and big data really mean?” About the Dr. Data Show. This new web series breaks the mold for data science infotainment, captivating the planet with short webisodes that cover the very best of machine learning and predictive analytics. Full… → Read More
Dr. Data Show Video: How Can You Trust AI?
Watch the second episode of The Dr. Data Show, which answers the question, “How can you trust artificial intelligence?” About the Dr. Data Show. This new web series breaks the mold for data science infotainment, captivating the planet with short webisodes that cover the very best of machine learning and predictive analytics. Full Transcript of This Episode Please note that viewing the video… → Read More
Dr. Data Show Video: Why Machine Learning Is the Coolest Science
By Eric Siegel, Predictive Analytics World. Watch the premiere episode of The Dr. Data Show, which answers the question, “What makes machine learning the coolest science?” About the Dr. Data Show. This new web series breaks the mold for data science infotainment, captivating the planet with short webisodes that cover the very best of machine learning and predictive analytics. Full Transcript of… → Read More
3 Common Mistakes That Can Derail Your Team’s Predictive Analytics Efforts
Focus on team skills before you even think about software. → Read More
What If the Data Tells You to Be Racist? When Algorithms Explicitly Penalize
By Eric Siegel, Predictive Analytics World. Original published in The San Francisco Chronicle (the cover article of Sunday's "Insight" section) What if the data tells you to be racist? Without the right precautions, machine learning — the technology that drives risk-assessment in law enforcement, as well as hiring and loan decisions — explicitly penalizes underprivileged groups. Left to its own… → Read More
Justice Can’t Be Colorblind: How to Fight Bias with Predictive Policing
Law enforcement's use of predictive analytics recently came under fire again. Dartmouth researchers made waves reporting that simple predictive models—as well as nonexpert humans—predict crime just as well as the leading proprietary analytics software. That the leading software achieves (only) human-level performance might not actually be a deadly blow, but a flurry of press from dozens of news… → Read More
Why Data Science Argues against a Muslim Ban
Let’s not lose our scientific minds. As the White House’s travel ban maneuvers toward the U.S. Supreme Court for possible approval, let’s take a scientific look at whether it makes sense for security. Does data support the ban’s underlying supposition that disallowing Muslims—at least those from certain countries—would decrease the risk of terrorism? This question begs to be addressed, but who’s… → Read More