It’s likely that the flow-through effects on the rest of users’ lives will be even greater, if the studies showing effects on mental health, cognitive function, relationships hold out, and if aligned recommender systems are able to significantly assist users in achieving their long term goals. Even more speculatively, if recommender systems are able to align with users’ extrapolated volition this may also have flow-through effects on social stability, wisdom, and long-termist attitudes in a way that helps mitigate existential risk.
I am very interested in these sorts of positive effects of aligned recommender systems. In addition to improving people’s effectiveness at large, I think they can be a valuable tool for improving individual/organizational decision making and personal productivity which are EA focus areas.
I think that building a collaborative search engine is a tractable starting point and has the potential to improve information discovery within EA and in general—if anyone is interested in collaborating on this, please get in touch!
I am very interested in these sorts of positive effects of aligned recommender systems. In addition to improving people’s effectiveness at large, I think they can be a valuable tool for improving individual/organizational decision making and personal productivity which are EA focus areas.
I think that building a collaborative search engine is a tractable starting point and has the potential to improve information discovery within EA and in general—if anyone is interested in collaborating on this, please get in touch!