Overview

A fascinating guided tour of the complex, fast-moving, and influential world of algorithms--what they are, why they're such powerful predictors of human behavior, and where they're headed next. Algorithms exert an extraordinary level of influence on our everyday lives - from dating websites and financial trading floors, through to online retailing and internet searches - Google's search algorithm is now a more closely guarded commercial secret than the recipe for Coca-Cola. Algorithms follow a series of instructions to solve a problem and will include a strategy to produce the best outcome possible from the options and permutations available. Used by scientists for many years and applied in a very specialized way they are now increasingly employed to process the vast amounts of data being generated, in investment banks, in the movie industry where they are used to predict success or failure at the box office and by social scientists and policy makers. What if everything in life could be reduced to a simple formula? What if numbers were able to tell us which partners we were best matched with - not just in terms of attractiveness, but for a long-term committed marriage? Or if they could say which films would be the biggest hits at the box office, and what changes could be made to those films to make them even more successful? Or even who is likely to commit certain crimes, and when? This may sound like the world of science fiction, but in fact it is just the tip of the iceberg in a world that is increasingly ruled by complex algorithms and neural networks. In The Formula, Luke Dormehl takes readers inside the world of numbers, asking how we came to believe in the all-conquering power of algorithms; introducing the mathematicians, artificial intelligence experts and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs who are shaping this brave new world, and ultimately asking how we survive in an era where numbers can sometimes seem to create as many problems as they solve.

Full Product Details

9798200617661

Table of Contents

Reviews

"""A persuasive, timely interrogation of one of our age's most dangerous assumptions: that information is the same as understanding, and that everything which counts can be counted."" -- ""Tom Chatfield, author of Netymology and How to Thrive in the Digital Age"" ""A smart and thoughtful overview of algorithms and how they affect our daily lives."" -- ""John P. Kelley, president and CEO of Blackstone Discovery"" ""From policing, to pricing, to the pursuit of happiness, Luke Dormehl demonstrates how algorithms are driving decision-making across a range of endeavours--including some truly unexpected areas."" -- ""Nick Meaney, CEO and cofounder of Epagogix"" ""Narrator Daniel Weyman assumes a conversational style in this wide-ranging and timely investigation into the expanding role of algorithms in our daily lives...While presenting the case studies, Weyman maintains a clear, well-modulated voice and a neutral delivery, echoing the author's intent to raise questions rather than argue a position. Though Weyman's British diction may periodically confuse some American listeners, pithy ideas like 'nothing is safe from a few well-designed algorithms' will not go unnoticed, making for a provocative listen."" -- ""AudioFile"" ""The clash between humanists and technologists, between brain power and machine power, is an ancient battle. In his lucidly written account of how this clash has played out in past years and how it will unfold in the future, Luke Dormehl is a tour guide with the breadth of a scholar, the sagacity of a judge, and the clear eye of a good journalist. This important book deserves to be read, and digested, by all who wrestle with, and enjoy--or worry about--a world transformed by digital technology."" -- ""Ken Auletta, author of Googled"" ""This information-rich narrative...[is] fascinating for experts and laymen alike. A great resource for anyone seeking to understand the intersection of technology and humanity in the twenty-first century."" -- ""Publishers Weekly"" ""This is a timely read for today's computerized and marketing-driven society...Some of the applications are more social or fun in nature (such as those used in online dating or to predict celebrity divorce rates) while others are serious (algorithms to help with law enforcement or diagnose illness)...He leads an intriguing discussion on how the power of algorithms will cause more jobs to be done by computers rather than humans...This book gives readers much to think about."" -- ""Library Journal"""

Author Information

Luke Dormehl is a technology journalist, filmmaker and author, who has written for Fast Company, Wired, Consumer Reports, Politico, The L.A. Times, and other publications. He is also the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems... And Create More. Coming soon...

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available