Russell

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Exploring the ethics of machine learning at Facebook – where does it draw the line?
Russell
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 7:59 pm
Facebook's strengths in machine learning put the company in difficult ethical dilemmas. How far should the company be willing to go, and how does it balance the potential impact it has on society and its users' privacy?

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On November 14, 2018, Russell commented on Stanford Health’s Vision of a “Smart Hospital” :

Thanks for sharing Alec. This is super interesting, and the 98,000 deaths per year from preventable medical errors is a shocking number. If AI can reduce that number, that would be fantastic. I think like most businesses, once positive results begin coming in on a larger scale, momentum will build and the process will accelerate.

Also, one question I’m curious about: Doctors are notorious for working crazy shifts and hours (at least the younger ones I know). I’ve always wondered if that leads to a higher error rate. Do you know of any hospitals that have experimented with shorter shifts? Were there results different?

Thanks again for sharing!

On November 14, 2018, Russell commented on Exploring the ethics of machine learning at Facebook – where does it draw the line? :

Great question! I haven’t found a number but there are stories. For example, last year, a woman in Alabama went on Facebook Live with a knife and made it clear that she was intending to commit suicide. Facebook quickly noticed this, contacted the authorities, and were able to get her to a hospital before she did so. Here’s an article with more info on that story and how Facebook is using machine learning for suicide prevention: https://www.fastcompany.com/40498963/how-facebooks-ai-is-helping-save-suicidal-peoples-lives.

Thanks for your question!

On November 14, 2018, lebronjames23 commented on A Tactical Advantage? Additive Manufacturing in the US Military :

This is a great read, thanks for sharing. I had never thought about the use of 3D printing in the military, but it seems like its use cases can add significant value. My only worry with this would be if it becomes too reliant on this, leaving it to risk if the machines were to falter, there were a power outage, etc. However, I do see how this can bring meaningful benefits, and I am glad you wrote about it. Thanks!

On November 14, 2018, lebronjames23 commented on Under Armour: Can it Continue to Customize and Expand its Line of 3D-Printed Midsole Performance Footwear? :

This is super interesting and something I didn’t know about. One question I have is why all top athletes don’t use this if it is proven to lead to better results. Do you have any insight on this?

Additionally, I love your idea about building an app to measure the foot and automatically output data to a 3D printer with the specifications. You should build it!

Overall, I learned a lot from this read. Thanks for sharing!

On November 14, 2018, lebronjames23 commented on Can an algorithm replace “the pill”? :

Thanks for sharing – this is super interesting! I think that the conversation you started around whether technology should be held to higher standards, or even the standard of perfection, is interesting. In the case of Uber, I can understand it, as if you have the responsibility of driving out of someone’s control, I would expect that person to only accept perfection. However, in this case, I wonder whether the better standard is just if the technology can match the best alternative. Thanks again – very informative read!

On November 14, 2018, lebronjames23 commented on Bringing machine learning to music – Spotify’s vision to win the hearts and ears of humanity :

Thanks for sharing! I’m a big Spotify user and enjoyed your read. Another angle I think Spotify can take to be competitive is to focus more on the social element of the platform like the ability to follow friends’ playlists. However, if it were to do so, I think it would need to invest heavily and try to exclusively partner with major platforms like Facebook. Otherwise, Apple would likely catch up quickly.

On November 14, 2018, lebronjames23 commented on Bytedance’ AI application: secrete sauce behind the world’s most valuable private startup :

It’s a great question Peter. I often think about how social media apps here are basically driven to just keep users on them for as long as possible. I also find it interesting that Instagram now shows users how long they have spent on the app, which in a way suggests that they know it may be detrimental to stay on the app. Thanks for sharing!