[SIGCIS-Members] Algorithms vs Logarithms

[thomas.haigh at gmail.com]

Hello SIGCIS,

 

As the eyes of the world turn towards my own region of SE Wisconsin for the
trial of Kyle Rittenhouse (the cosplaying militia wannabe teen who shot and
killed two unarmed demonstrators in Kenosha last summer) we get a glimpse of
how deeply suspicion of algorithms has permeated general awareness and of
how little they are sometimes understood.

 

According to this article from The Verge:
https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/10/22775580/kyle-rittenhouse-trial-judge-ap
ple-ai-pinch-to-zoom-footage-manipulation-claim the defense yesterday made a
successful argument to the judge that the zoom feature on an iPad video
showing the killings should not be used in court on the grounds that it
involved artificial intelligence and "logarithms." Yes, LOGARITHMS. The
things some of you may remember looking up in tables to add together to find
approximate answers when multiplying large numbers.

 

"iPads, which are made by Apple, have artificial intelligence in them that
allow things to be viewed through three-dimensions and logarithms," the
defense insisted. "It uses artificial intelligence, or their logarithms, to
create what they believe is happening. So this isn't actually enhanced
video, this is Apple's iPad programming creating what it thinks is there,
not what necessarily is there," they added.

 

According to the story, the judge deferred to this argument:

 

Judge Schroeder argued that it was the prosecution - not the defense - that
had the burden of proving that Apple doesn't use artificial intelligence to
manipulate footage, demanding that they provide an expert to testify, and
didn't allow the prosecution to adjourn to find that expert before bringing
Rittenhouse up for cross-examination. 

 

Meanwhile, I stumbled on a nice analysis of the extent to which the word
"algorithm" is understood my many to imply some connection to machine
learning in this short article by Kristian Lum and Rumman Chowdhury:
https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/02/26/1020007/what-is-an-algorithm/. 

 

Can it be long until we see products sold as "algorithm free"? Or, possible,
"logarithm free." 

 

Tom

 

 

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