Scientific American has published an excerpt from The Master Algorithm, by Pedro Domingos that’s worth a read.
Given that we are living in the Age of the Algorithm, it’s worth knowing just how pervasive they are. Every post on Facebook you see, every search result from Google, every advert on every website: all are controlled by invisible – and unaccountable – algorithms.
Once the inevitable happens and learning algorithms become the middlemen, power becomes concentrated in them. Google’s algorithms largely determine what information you find, Amazon’s what products you buy, and Match.com’s who you date.
Power will accrue to those who have the best algorithms. If you want to know why and how, Domingo’s book is definitely one to add to your Christmas booklist.
via Why Businesses Embrace Machine Learning [Excerpt] – Scientific American.
On Machine Intelligence 