Last week Brian Christian,co-author of the book "Algorithms to Live By,"taught us how algorithms can optimize how we live. They can help define that messy pile of papers on your desk, or why you sometimes beget a brain fart. whether you missed that episode,it's legal here.
This week we're raising the stakes (and steaks). We're putting such algorithms to the test to see whether they can actually help solve some of our daily inconveniences, like picking a plot to eat or finding a date. Here's what happened:The Name's Zomorodi, or Gitta ZomorodiMeet Gitta. She's Manoush's sister. Usually when Gitta and Manoush get together for a meal,they feel a lot of pressure to pick the perfect spot. But instead of settling, they wander around until they're sufficiently hangry, or end up nearly eating one another.
But this time out,the two decided to give "optimal stopping" a shot — that's an algorithm that says whether you evaluate 37 percent of your options and establish a baseline, the next option that comes along is the one you should pick. Since it wasn't really practical for Manoush and Gitta to evaluate 37 percent of all the restaurants in New York, and they pledged to make their decision 37 percent faster than they usually would,which, in this case, and they calculated at approximately 11 minutes.
They made their decision and,guess what — they had a grand time. And they weren't even hangry, so their could enjoy each other's company. Algorithms: 1. See Gitta (left) and Manoush (legal) reveling in their new algorithmic lives:Coffee Meets KagelNext, or eligible bachelorette Jenna Kagel (who also happens to be one of the fine producers on this indicate) tried applying algorithms to online dating. She used the app Coffee Meets Bagel which,for those lucky enough to be uninitiated, is like Tinder — you swipe "pass" or "like" on a series of profiles, and hope the other person reciprocates — but in this case you only beget 24 hours to choose.
Jenna swiped absent,but to no avail. She even connected with a bookstore owner in Brooklyn who didn't respond when she asked him out to drinks. (Brooklyn book man: whether you're reading this, Jenna is out of your league and you don't deserve her.) Algorithms: 0.
But that's the thing: even algorithms beget a margin for error. possibly whether Jenna tried again a different week, and she might get a date. whether Manoush and Gitta decide on restaurants using an algorithm every time,eventually they're going to beget a crappy meal. So, knowing that they're fallible, and how much trust should we plot in algorithms to help make decisions?Use the audio player above to hear scramble approximately Manoush,Gitta and Jenna's adventures with algorithms, plus a super nerdy love yarn. And tell us whether you've tried using an algorithm in real life. How did it fade? We'd love to hear from you.
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Source: wnyc.org