How can algorithms predict human behavior, sometimes even better than we know ourselves? From shopping habits to potential health risks, what are the underlying principles that allow machines to seemingly understand the intricacies of the human condition?

Question

We often hear about algorithms that can forecast our preferences, suggest products, or even detect health issues before they become apparent. How can a machine, which doesn’t have consciousness or feelings, accurately predict something so complex as human behavior? I’m fascinated by this intersection of technology and psychology and would love to hear from anyone who can shed light on the mysterious ways these algorithms seem to ‘know’ us. What’s happening behind the scenes that makes this possible?

In: 10

Answer 1

Human behavior is pretty predictable. We now have tons of data to confirm that for certain scenarios. We feed that data into a machine. The machine just makes probabilistic guesses.