Thinkers & Ideas The Unaccountability Machine with Dan Davies
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Dec 17, 2024 Dan Davies, an economist and former investment banker known for his sharp analyses on finance and corporate governance, delves into the systemic flaws in decision-making. He discusses how big systems often produce undesired outcomes, the bureaucratic failures impacting areas like animal welfare, and the risks of accountability lost in complexity. Davies raises alarms about AI's potential to complicate decisions further if not implemented wisely. He emphasizes the need for redesigning decision systems to leverage AI effectively and avoid repeating past mistakes.
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Unintended Bias in Education
- In education, seemingly unbiased systems can produce biased outcomes.
- For example,appeals processes favor those who know how to navigate them, like upper-middle-class families and teachers' children.
The Shredded Squirrels
- Four hundred ground squirrels were mistakenly shredded at Schiphol Airport.
- Conflicting regulations and inflexible procedures prevented their return or onward journey.
Systems Neutralize Accountability
- Complex systems in companies and governments often neutralize accountability.
- Unwanted outcomes become difficult to attribute to specific individuals due to diffused responsibility.
