Coke an AI

Link to the article - http://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2017/08/30/how-coca-colas-ai-approach-to-customer-experience-can-boost-its-performance/#1649f3bb59c9

Big Data Update

From the Marginal Revolution -

"Newly minted sociologist Sarah Brayne spent two and a half years studying the LAPD as it shifted from traditional methods to what she calls big data surveillance.

This article examines the intersection of two structural developments: the growth of surveillance and the rise of “big data.” Drawing on observations and interviews conducted within the Los Angeles Police Department, I offer an empirical account of how the adoption of big data analytics does—and does not—transform police surveillance practices. I argue that the adoption of big data analytics facilitates amplifications of prior surveillance practices and fundamental transformations in surveillance activities. First, discretionary assessments of risk are supplemented and quantified using risk scores. Second, data are used for predictive, rather than reactive or explanatory, purposes. Third, the proliferation of automatic alert systems makes it possible to systematically surveil an unprecedentedly large number of people. Fourth, the threshold for inclusion in law enforcement databases is lower, now including individuals who have not had direct police contact. Fifth, previously separate data systems are merged, facilitating the spread of surveillance into a wide range of institutions. Based on these findings, I develop a theoretical model of big data surveillance that can be applied to institutional domains beyond the criminal justice system. Finally, I highlight the social consequences of big data surveillance for law and social inequality."

A Sentence to Ponder

From the Wall Street Journal today -

"The World Bank reckons that by 2050, 16% of the world's will live in large coastal cities exposed to cyclones, hurricanes and earthquakes, up from 11% in 2000."

Machine-learning earthquake prediction in lab shows promise

Machine-learning earthquake prediction in lab shows promise

Houston Area Transportation Infrastructure Largely Still Unusable

Houston Area Transportation Infrastructure Largely Still Unusable: Airports, rail and bus service in the Houston area were still being assessed Aug. 30.

Hurricanes and Debt Limits

From Fortune -

"The government's cash reserves are running low since the nation's debt limit has actually already been reached, and the Treasury Department is using various accounting measures to cover expenses. Billions of dollars in Harvey aid are an unexpected cost that at least raises the potential that Congress would have to act earlier than expected to increase the government's borrowing authority."

Still Looking Up

From the Washington Post -

"Forget the soaring stock market. Here's the real evidence the U.S. economy is getting better: Food stamp usage is down, and spending on entertainment — everything from Netflix to Disney World trips — is up."