AI and the Long Tail

AI can reduce inequality and polarization by making the internet less social.

 
The internet breeds inequality. A small number of websites receive the most visits. A few people receive most of the views on YouTube and TikTok. A small number of podcasts and newsletters attract most of the subscribers.

This inequality is inherent to networks. The more extensive the network, the larger its hubs tend to be. Large hubs are efficient — they make it easier to connect the highest number of nodes. This is apparent when you look at an airline map. A super-connected hub like Chicago, London, or Singapore allows passengers to fly from anywhere to anywhere with a single connecting flight.

Online social networks are even less equal than airline networks. Partly because they are larger (there are more people online than airports offline). And partly because they are social. The term “social network” describes platforms like Facebook or WeChat. But in reality, the whole web is a social network made of pages and posts generated by individual people.

The tools we use to explore the web are also social. And their social nature contributes to (or causes) massive inequality.

Συνέχεια εδώ

 Πηγή: drorpoleg.com