Studium Generale: Decision Making with Algorithms - Nathan Kuncel

Algorithms are increasingly influencing our day to day lives and societies as a whole. We might accept or even enjoy the music suggestions made by an algorithm on the one hand, but feel deeply uncomfortable about the use of algorithms for high stakes decisions on the other. Yet the understanding of the strengths, weaknesses, and very nature of algorithms is not widespread. Are all algorithms fundamentally the same? What about carefully developed human insight and expertise? Psychologist Nathan Kuncel addresses these and many other questions. He suggests algorithms and human expertise should not compete with each other, but should instead merge into a partnership. We should embrace algorithms, but make sure human oversight is used for making final decisions.