JAMA Medical News When Do Nudges Help?
May 16, 2025
Susan Athey, a professor at Stanford's Graduate School of Business and an expert in human-centered AI, shares her innovative research on using machine learning to enhance behavioral nudges for college students. She discusses strategies to ensure timely completion of federal financial aid forms, addressing the demographics behind procrastination. Athey delves into the challenges of applying machine learning in clinical trials and the significance of Medicaid eligibility on health outcomes. She also highlights the need for AI to address healthcare consolidation and improve patient access.
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Financial Aid Form Deadline Issue
- College students often miss federal financial aid form deadlines due to complexity and procrastination.
- Missing these deadlines can lead to non-reenrollment in college, showing the importance of timely reminders.
Why Target Nudges?
- Understanding who benefits from behavioral nudges helps tailor interventions and avoid wasting resources.
- Targeting only those helped by the nudge can optimize impact and allocate alternative support to others.
Microsoft Anecdote on Misguided Targeting
- At Microsoft, many targeting attempts focused on predicting risk rather than effect of intervention.
- This confused me, as often companies target the highest risk but not necessarily those who benefit most.