Pinned Member-only Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about machine learning Putting the fun in fundamentals! A collection of short videos to amuse beginners and experts alike — Looking for a fun introduction to AI with a sense of humor? Look no further than Making Friends with Machine Learning (MFML), a lovable free YouTube course designed with everyone in mind. Yes, everyone. If you’re reading this, the course is for you! Course Trailer Short form videos: Most of the… Data Science 10 min read Data Science 10 min read
1 day ago Member-only Break the cycle of bad self-improvement advice How motivational gurus prey on the vulnerable — Happy 2023! If you’re planning to celebrate the new year by revving up your commitment to self-improvement, you’re not alone. But be careful where you get your advice! … Motivation 6 min read Motivation 6 min read
6 days ago Member-only The best New Year’s resolutions you can make Resolutions that actually work, according to a decision scientist — Happy almost-2023! Chances are that you’re contemplating making some New Year’s resolutions, so let’s get you set up for success with a few resolutions that will unlock the best version of you. #1 — Resolve to stop borrowing resolutions Different people are different, so what works for you might not be what works for anyone else. Resolutions 9 min read Resolutions 9 min read
Dec 24, 2022 Member-only 2022: The year that changed the way we work Remember 2020? So many of us thought that was going to be the big one for the way we work. I thought it would be the year that changes productivity forever. And in many ways it was; it forced us to spring clean our dusty attic of beliefs about what… Productivity 8 min read Productivity 8 min read
Dec 21, 2022 Member-only AI: Science Fiction vs Reality Will AI fully exit the realm of science fiction and begin to change everything? — Now that everyone is talking about ChatGPT, I’m finding myself dodging some version of this question more often: “Will AI fully exit the realm of science fiction and begin to change everything?” The reason I usually nope out of this question is that there’s some sneaky sleight of hand in… Artificial Intelligence 6 min read Artificial Intelligence 6 min read
Dec 8, 2022 Member-only Introducing ChatGPT! The Revolutionary New Tool for Conversation Generation — Today, I want to demystify ChatGPT — a fascinating new application of GANs* (Generative Adversarial Networks) that has been generating a lot of buzz in the AI… Chatgpt 6 min read Chatgpt 6 min read
Published inTowards Data Science ·Nov 30, 2022 Member-only Overusing the Term “Statistically Significant” Makes You Look Clueless A primer on interpreting other people’s hypothesis tests — If you’re in the market for a new tongue-twister, try this paraphrase of a classic: “The difference between statistically significant and statistically non-significant is not necessarily significant.” As a recovering statistician, I have the pleasure of knowing many data experts and the displeasure of meeting a lot of posers. Though… Editors Pick 7 min read Editors Pick 7 min read
Published inTowards Data Science ·Nov 27, 2022 Member-only Why is MSE = Bias² + Variance? Introduction to “good” statistical estimators and their properties — The bias-variance tradeoff “The bias-variance tradeoff” is a popular concept you’ll encounter in the context of ML/AI. In building up to making it intuitive, I figured I’d give the formula-lovers among you a chatty explanation of where this key equation comes from: MSE = Bias² + Variance Well, this article isn’t only about… Data Science 8 min read Data Science 8 min read
Published inTowards Data Science ·Nov 22, 2022 Member-only The Obscure Art of Data Design Battling an embarrassing new alchemy for the digital era — The data careers space has been disgustingly hyped up. Not overhyped (there is incredible value to be had from data), but more like “mishyped” — a lot of people are generating data buzz for all the wrong reasons. The right reasons to be excited relate to the old adage, knowledge… Data Science 6 min read Data Science 6 min read
Published inTowards Data Science ·Nov 18, 2022 Member-only Why is Mean Squared Error (MSE) So Popular? A quick look at everyone’s favorite loss function — So creative it hurts As a recovering statistician, I’ll be the first to tell you that my people are a painfully literal-minded bunch. … Data Science 4 min read Data Science 4 min read