Wouter M. Koolen

Wouter M. Koolen, a Senior Researcher at Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica, delves into the fascinating world of multi-armed bandits and pure exploration. He discusses the balance between exploration and exploitation, illustrated through examples like clinical trials and game strategies. Wouter explains how to determine when to shift from learning to exploiting knowledge gained. The conversation also highlights the ethical considerations in decision-making and innovative algorithms that drive advancements in this area, making complex theories accessible for practical application.