Artificial Confirmation Bias

Anyone that knows me is aware that I am a huge music fan.? Classic rock is my favorite genre.? Much of my mental capacity is occupied with useless trivia, such as: who performed on what album, who produced it, or how it came to be.? Unfortunately, “Rock & Roll Jeopardy” was canceled long ago, so I missed my opportunity to monetize my obsession.? As is typical among people my age, I strongly believe that music was much better when I was younger.? Before you dismiss me as simply an old fart: hear me out.? I can back up my claim.?

?Music has always gone through cycles where a particular craze takes hold and homogenizes the sound of the era.? Disco was inescapable during the late 1970s.? Even Kiss and the Rolling Stones recorded disco songs (Anton Fig played drums on the Kiss song, not Peter Criss).? Sesame Street put out an entire disco album (listen at your own peril.)? Punk and NWOBM (new wave of British heavy metal) were eventually the antidote to disco monotony and gave birth to new wave, alternative, and other genres.? By the end of the 1980’s virtually every band was wearing their sisters’ torn clothes, depleting the ozone layer with hair spray, and painting their faces like deranged street walkers. ?The obligatory power ballad was released as the second single from every album along with the accompanying video of the artists performing to an arena packed with adoring fans waving cigarette lighters.? Is it any wonder that the grunge that finally saved us sounded so angry??

?Why does music continually go through these cycles?? The simple answer is: money.? Musicians will often say that it’s called the music business for a reason.? In business, it’s much safer to emulate an existing product that is already successful than to invent something totally new.? When the music business sees a hit, it emulates it and creates a repeatable formula until a disrupter finally breaks through the tedious din.? Just as in business, the first artist to perfect a new and unique sound will be met with enormous success—and the derivation cycle will start anew until what was initially unique becomes completely commoditized.

?The radio used to be where you would learn about new music.? I guess technically it still is, but all new rock music sounds excruciatingly similar.? This is not just my opinion.? As musician/producer Rick Beato explains in this video, modern bands all play through the same equipment and records are all produced and mixed by the same small group of people trying to capture the essence of a recent hit (which itself was a knockoff of a previous hit).? The powers that be within the music industry constantly chase what they perceive the tastes of the listening public to be rather than empowering artists to freely create something new and seeing who likes it.? Music executives are following rather than leading.? This approach inevitably leads to monotony.? Technology has exacerbated the situation by centralizing control, streamlining the sonic duplication, and sterilizing performances.

?As we sit on the cusp of what many are calling the next industrial revolution, some are worried about unleashing Skynet or making some other science fiction dystopia become reality.? While I don’t discount that apprehension, my more immediate concern is that AI will turn into a digital confirmation bias engine.? We are already targeted it when we shop online and are confronted with “shoppers that looked at this item also viewed…” or “items frequently purchased with this item…” recommendations.? As online advertising becomes more and more focused, we unknowingly retreat into our comfort zone where our own tastes and preferences are ubiquitous.? If AI is used to identify what each individual wants, and provide more of it, nobody will never be exposed to anything new.? You will constantly be seeking a faster horse—unaware that cars exist.? Some of my favorite clothing are items that I did not (and would never) pick out myself.? They are gifts that once I tried, I really liked.? In other words:? Sometimes you don’t know you like something new until you see/try it.? If AI is used as a hyper efficient tool to provide us more of what we already like, we will all be bored out of our minds, and we will have no idea why.? Our wardrobes, diets, and even experiences will become dreary and repetitive.? Perhaps the human brain will still have utility after all.