Guillaume Decugis argues that algorithms alone cannot effectively curate content, emphasizing the indispensable role of human data editors and curators. He highlights the limitations of content personalization algorithms and the importance of human input in the curation process. The document advocates for a blend of technology and human oversight in content management to ensure quality and relevance.

1. Humarithm: why data without
people is not enough
And how algorithms lost the Content Curation battle
Guillaume Decugis
Co-Founder & CEO – Scoop.it
@gdecugis

2. Hi, my name is Guillaume.
I’m an Engineer and I like data too.
And also now an Entrepreneur (Musiwave, Scoop.it)

3. We Engineers love algorithms.

4. In 1993, I built a neural network
algorithm…
…to predict stock
market performance

5. This is where I’d be if it had worked

6. People produce a
lot of data

7. And yes, algorithm can filter/compute
data.

8. But smart systems use people to correct
data.

9. And people like to do it.

10. Most people don’t understand
algorithms.

11. But they can understand people who
understand data.

12. Data doesn’t distribute itself.

13. People do.

14. The Content Curation problem
I’m talking
to you!
I’m looking
for you!

15. Web Content in 1995. Curated.

16. Web Content in 1997. Algorithmed.

17. The Search for the perfect Content
Algorithm

18. “Curation starts when Search stops
working” (Clay Shirky)

19. The Filter Bubble (Eli Pariser)

20. 7 things that content personalization
algorithm do poorly
• Anticipation
• Risk Taking
• Big Picture
• Pairing
• Social Importance
• Mind-blowingness
• Trust
Eli Pariser, 2011

21. Man or Machine?

22. Humarithm
“The Algorithm + the Crowd are Not Enough”
Rand Fishkin, SEOmoz.
We need humans data editors/curators.

23. Start from the API. Let Human Curate.
The Scoop.it Example.

24. When it comes to technology, we all
want this.

25. So please don’t build this.

26. Thank you!
Guillaume Decugis
@gdecugis
Author: Franz Steiner