It's an interactive video that uses your webcam to walk you through the various assessments on BMI, emotion, beauty, etc. At the end, it'll give you your life expectancy, and then your "normal score".
It's not the most complex use of AI, but it provides interesting insights, and is becoming increasingly prevalent.
Governments, police stations, retail stores, etc. all use this technology to track individuals, and if you remember one of my previous articles - there are plenty of cameras to go around.
If you did the demo, were you surprised by the results?
The ubiquity of Machine Learning algorithms remains a topic of interest because we, as a society, still haven't come to terms with what "acceptable" use looks like, and what privacy looks like in the post-AI world.
Algorithms are helping you pick out your next gift on Amazon, controlling what you find on Google, they're suggesting new music for you on Spotify, and they're doing their best to keep you on their website.
They're following you in stores, on the streets, and many would argue they're tracking your phone calls, text messages, and more.
With all that being said, I do think it's important to have a cursory knowledge of the things that impact our lives ... so, even if you're not an AI-aficionado, I think it's important to somewhat understand how machines learn, and how powerful they're becoming.
The video is a bit simple in its explanations, but it describes some important concepts.
The video focuses on Genetic Algorithms, which is one type of machine learning – and neglects some of the other more complicated approaches.
As machine learning gets more complicated and evolved, it gets harder for a human to understand what makes it good … and that's okay. Understanding the direction AI is heading is more important than truly understanding the intricacies.
It's human nature to feel safer when we understand something. It's human nature to envision machines as making human-like decisions, just faster.
Of course, just because it suits human nature to believe something, that doesn't make it true.
Part of what makes machine learning exciting is that it can do a lot of things well that humans are really bad at.
In reality, it doesn't matter why a bot is making a decision, or what inputs the bot is making the decision on. What matters is the performance and level of decision-making in relation to itself and to other options (and whether the bot is biased).
With respect to trading, focusing on the markets is a distraction.
For the most part, I don't care how markets are doing.
I care how our systems are doing and I care how the portfolio is doing.
It's a brave new world, and not only is big brother watching, but algorithms are too.
We take for granted a lot of the technology we have today. Computers and phones have evolved so fast that it's hard to remember that they haven't been around for many years. When my youngest son was born in 1993, cassette tapes and the Sony Walkman were still popular, I had a wired phone in my car, and we had a Macintosh-II in the study.
Everything in this photo now exists in the cheapest of smartphones.
For a blast from the past and a look back at what used to be top-of-the-line ... here's a video of people buying a computer in 1994.
Partially as a result of the quarantine, you're seeing an increase in digital cash transfers with tools like Venmo, an increase in e-commerce shops like Shopify, and an increase in (you guessed it) collaboration tools like Zoom or Microsoft Teams.
This year, DOMO also created a chart that shows the services that have appeared in the graphic since 2012. It's an interesting way to look at the relevancy and staying power of different companies and technologies.
We're currently in a time period of massive competition and turnover. Innovation means incumbents are being challenged every day, and the status quo doesn't stay that way for long. Even within the S&P 500, you're seeing companies stay a member for shorter periods of time.
You have to stay on your toes to maintain an edge. I think you can expect increased competition, increased volume, and as a result, increased noise vying for your attention or fueling your distraction.
One of the biggest lies on the internet (and there are too many lies to count) is "I have read and agree to the terms of service(ToS)."
There is a plug-in that might help.
Terms of Service Didn't Read has summaries of most ToS, ratings for their user-friendliness and a browser plug-in so when you're about to sign one you can make sure it's safe.
Unfortunately, many of the ToS tell you that they're going to use your data, sell it to spammers, etc. For example, I talked about how a shadowy Russian company was behind FaceApp and owned the rights to photos you uploaded.
Luckily, not every clause in a ToS is legal, and won't necessarily hold up in court - but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be protecting yourself.
So, check out TOSDR, it's not perfect ... but it's probably better than nothing.
I studied psychology and philosophy at Duke in the early '80s. Then I got both an MBA and a law degree at Northwestern University in Chicago.
My first job out of school was doing corporate and securities work at a law firm in Dallas. By the early '90s, I knew that I was an entrepreneur.
Regardless, the path seemed random as I was going down it ... but looking back, it all seems to make some form of sense.
I recently did a podcast with a patent lawyer friend, Rich Goldstein. We talk about that, what it's like working with my son, the difference between practicing law and creating AI, innovation, and the role of Intellectual Property and its protection.
Worldwide, health & fitness app downloads have grown by 46%. With a mass majority of that being in India. On top of downloads, daily active users have also increased by 24% worldwide.
Is Home Fitness Here to Stay?
Health & fitness apps have been a big part of my arsenal, far before social distancing was a thing, and they'll continue to be an important part of my future fitness plans.
Many people prefer the gym/class environment for workouts, so home workouts will never represent a major proportion of the market, but it's non-trivial and continues to grow.
More likely to continue to grow in use are the tracking and mindfulness apps.
Here Are Some Links For Your Weekly Reading - October 10th, 2020
Here are some of the posts that caught my eye recently. Hope you find something interesting.
Lighter Links:
Trading Links:
Posted at 08:23 PM in Business, Current Affairs, Gadgets, Games, Ideas, Just for Fun, Market Commentary, Science, Trading, Trading Tools, Travel, Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (0)
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