
Recommendation Systems are Redefining the Web - python_kiss
http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/2006/12/13/uietips-article-watch-and-learn-recommendation-systems-are-redefining-the-web/
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python_kiss
The acceleration of computation has transformed everything from social and
economic relations to political institutions. A social network can harness the
combined computation of the average Joe and create a rudimentary form of
artificial intelligence. Amazon has already accomplished it. Today, we depend
on Amazon bots to tell us what we will like. This is a major paradigm shift
from less than a decade ago when we bought books solely based on
recommendations from humans rather than computers. Everything a user does on a
social network says a little bit about them. What happens if all those bits
get put into one big trove of data about the user and their tastes?
Advertisers heaven.

~~~
danielha
Advertiser heaven, absolutely.

Has anyone here read John Battelle's "The Search?"

He coins the term "Database of Intentions." He suggests some really
provocative scenarios that is even more applicable now with recommendation
engines.

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python_kiss
Hey, thanks for pointing that out. "The Search" does indeed provide
provocative scenarios on this. I will quote directly from the book:
"..Zeitgeist revealed to me that Google had more than its finger on the pulse
of our culture, it was directly jacked into the culture's nervous system. This
was my first glimpse into what I came to call the Database of Intentions-a
living power of immense power. My God, I thought, Google knows what our
culture wants!...Could it not also start a research and marketing company
capable of telling clients exactly what people are buying, looking to buy, or
avoiding? How about starting an e-commerce firm that already knew what the
buyer wanted? How about a travel business that knew where the customer wanted
to go? The possibilities, it seemed, were endless".

