The Algorithmic Shuffle

Since the 1990s when google.com’s search engine burst upon the human race, the concept of algorithms has been ruthlessly bandied about. In the 2020s, with the advent of AI and all the algorithms it has foisted upon us, algorithms control and direct more of our lives than the vast majority of the population has any concept.

But how many of us actually understand and/or appreciate what they are and how they work.

To find the answer, the Tearsheet went right to the source: Google’s Gemini AI. They reported back (in a matter of a few seconds) that “an algorithm is a step-by-step set of instructions or rules designed to solve a specific problem or complete a task, much like a recipe in a cookbook.”

Sounds simple enough… until you apply them to everyday life where judgment and nuance used to rule the day. You can’t apply for a bank loan without some anonymous algorithm applying some capricous limits on your income, your ability to pay and any other arbitrary financial condition which may or may not speak apply to you in the least.

The same holds true in health care. Enter some random measurements into a computer and out spits a diagnosis. All this can happen without you seeing or speaking to an actual physician. But then the creators of the software into which the algorithms have been embedded don’t really care about that.

Speaking of healthcare, all this applies in spades to the insurance industry.

To be fair, not all algorithms are evil. In computer science, algorithms are simply instructions written in code that allow machines to process massive amounts of data at lightning speed. Because computers cannot think intuitively or guess intentions, algorithms break down complex problems — like finding the fastest route home in traffic or recommending a movie you might like — into millions of tiny, logical yes-or-no decisions. While the word is most often associated with computers and software, humans use forms of algorithms every day without realizing it. Tying your shoes, doing long division, and following driving directions are all algorithms because they require following a specific sequence of steps to reach a predictable outcome.

Like much else in life, it all matters who is at the controls and what their ultimate aims are.

“Something is a luxury twice. After that, it’s a necessity.”

— Alan Weiss, an American consultant, speaker and author