what journalists need to know about artificial intelligence – badass data science

A journalist recently asked me to comment on the feasibility of a conspiracy theory involving one of Facebook's AI algorithms. He wanted to know whether it was likely, or even possible, that Facebook was using its existing algorithm for suicide video detection to screen and censor conservative media sources. To answer the question meaningfully, I found I needed to spend an hour educating this journalist about AI in general, just to give him enough background information to understand my assessment of the conspiracy theory. In doing so I equipped him to deal with future AI-related investigations, which he and his colleagues will most certainly encounter with increasing frequency in the future as AI expands its interaction with our daily lives. From the encounter described above, I realized that journalists will soon face a growing need to explain and editorialize about AI-related social concerns of all types. I concluded that most journalists are currently ill-equipped for the task. To remedy the situation, I composed this primer to assist journalists' acquisition of sufficient knowledge about the subject to assist them at what they do best: Guiding the public discourse regarding pertinent issues of the day.