The Age of Data

Data science has become an increasingly important field, with data-driven decisions affecting every aspect of our lives. But how do we ensure that the algorithms we use are ethical and effective? In her book “Hello World: Being Human in the Age of Algorithms,” mathematician and science communicator Hannah Fry explores these questions and more.

Each chapter in the book focuses on a different area where algorithms play a significant role. Fry starts by introducing us to the basics of algorithms and how they work, explaining that an algorithm is simply a set of instructions for solving a problem. She then goes on to explore how algorithms are used in fields such as healthcare, finance, policing, and dating, among others. In each chapter, she provides real-life examples of algorithms in action, explaining how they utilize the machine learning process to impact individuals and society as a whole.

My Take

As a lover of mathematics, I loved the mathematical explanations in the book to explain how the algorithms fall short of perfection. It makes it clear how the algorithms should only be used as a decision making tool rather than what governs our decision making as a society. I didn’t love the doom-and-gloom aspect of the book. Throughout the entire read, I was thinking to myself, “Wow there are no good solutions in this world.” Fry clearly shows that whenever we desire a particular outcome from an algorithm, we give up something else.

Case Studies

One of the most compelling examples Fry presents is the story of an algorithm used by a US court to predict the likelihood of a defendant reoffending. The algorithm was designed to help judges make more informed decisions about bail and sentencing, but it turned out to be biased against African-American defendants. On the other side of things, algorithms help identify criminals off the street each day using face recognition.

With an algorithm, you must be okay with both sides of the coin. The automobile industry mentioned by Fry is another perfect example of this. Back in 2004, a competition was created to pit self driving cars against one another in a race. This was the first mainstream effort to put self driving cars on the map for good.

The results were disasterous. Not one car finished the course in 2004. But we have come a long way since then thankfully! We now have self driving cars on our highways. While it is extremely convenient, it comes at a cost (as it always does). If the vehicle is faced with the decision to save the person in the car or to save a pedestrian, which should it choose? Which is ethical?

This motorcycle was the first self driving motorcycle and debuted in the DARPA challenge in 2004.

The final example has to do with consumerism. Grocery stores (Target in our example) have algorithms that predict what stage of life we are in to better advertise to our needs. One woman received advertisements geared toward a prospective mother. Her father was furious the HIS teenage daughter received such a thing by mistake… except it wasn’t a mistake. She was pregnant and hadn’t told her father before he saw the ads sent by Target.

Conclusion

One of the key takeaways from Hello World is the importance of human oversight in the development and deployment of algorithms. While algorithms are benefitting so many people in such diverse ways, others are being hurt (or even killed in the self-driving cars example) by our “helpful” algorithms.

Overall, “Hello World” is a thought-provoking and informative read for anyone interested in data science, technology, and society. Fry’s insights and examples provide a valuable perspective on the opportunities and challenges presented by algorithms, and underscore the importance of ensuring that we use these powerful tools in responsible and ethical ways. I would give the book a 3.5/5.

Disclaimer: I used ChatGPT to generate parts of the Case Studies section as well as the majority of the Intro and Conclusion paragraphs.