This document describes an autonomous discovery startup called Xyggy that uses machine learning algorithms to recommend new content to users without requiring explicit searches. It summarizes Xyggy's key features as autonomously discovering new games and apps for Android based on a user's preferences, interests they express by liking or disliking recommendations, and utilizing serendipity. The document also introduces the founder Dinesh Vadhia and his work with Professor Zoubin Ghahramani on Bayesian machine learning methods.

1. Autonomous Discovery
the future interface?
predictive computing
anticipatory computing
engineered serendipity
…

2. Dinesh Vadhia
Founder/engineer at autonomous discovery startup
www.xyggy.com. Previously, senior product management roles
at Oracle and Sun in Silicon Valley and UK, with many years of
software engineering first.
Closely work with Professor Zoubin Ghahramani at Cambridge
University. One of the founding fathers of Bayesian machine
learning methods.
dinesh@xyggy.com, @DineshVadhia

3. The Autonomous Age
Probabilistic robots
Commercial unmanned aerial vehicles
Self-driving cars

4. Autonomous Discovery
Discover new things without doing
anything
Convenience does matter
> Keyword search volume? Probably

5. Undefined Intent
Search intent defined by keywords
Autonomous discovery has undefined
intent
Window-shopping analogy

6. New Bayesian ML Algorithm
Deals with things only
Data finds data
Item(s) per query

7. Feature Engineering
Things defined by features
Can mix multiple feature classes,
including high- & low-level, unstructured
& structured text, ratings, relevance,
context and so on

8. Dynamic
No training
Dynamic predictions and ranking
Relevance feedback
0.85634
0.83678
0.68321
0.59142

9. Scalability
Sparsity
IR + RecSys
Scalability

10. Autonomous Discovery
I am the query

11. I Am the Query
Given data about me, find new things I will
like.
If I like a thing, find more like it, or remove
this thing and others like it.
Hit me with some serendipity.

12. Quick Look
technology showcase.
autonomously discovers games and apps.
android only. free. ad free.
~300,000 apps, ~500,000 element feature vector.
Xyggy

13. Xyggy App Usage
Autonomously discovers new Discover by Games or Apps
games and apps. categories, and Paid or Free.
Learns what you like. Touch dice to take a chance
with serendipity
No search box. No keyword
search. To install an app you like,
touch its icon to go to the App
If you like a game or app, find Store.
more (+) like it.
Start-over with restart (o) at
If you don't like an app, anytime.
remove (-) it and others like it
go away too.

18. Last But One
Data privacy
Digital doppelganger
Cold-Start Data: Help us spread the word to get more
Xyggy app installs so that collective intelligence kicks-in for even
better results. The app is free and ad-free. Directions to install
the app are at Xyggy. Thank-you!

19. A Must for ML Practitioners
"A few useful things to know
about machine learning"
Pedro Domingos
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
University of Washington