Algorithmic Blindspots

Algorithms distort the world. They can trap us in local maxima, and restrict the kind of random serendipity that makes our personalities liquid. On Tuesday, I had lunch with a friend who invests in artificial intelligence startups. To my surprise, he doesn’t use any algorithms in his personal life. No Spotify Discover Weekly. No Netflix suggestions. No Amazon recommendations. I’m not ready to make the same commitment, but there’s a deep insight behind his rule for consumption: if you want to find emerging and under-rated ideas, stop using algorithms.