A Framework for Governmental Use of Machine Learning

Computerized algorithms increasingly make decisions that previously had been made by humans. These new types of algorithms—known as machine learning algorithms—have recently found themselves in use in so many products and settings that they may even appear to portend the reshaping of many important aspects of human life. With their distinctive ability to find complex patterns in large datasets, machine-learning algorithms are being used to help make forecasts about who to hire or lend money, how to trade stocks, and what products consumers are likely purchase. They also drive both Internet search and autono-mous vehicles, and they provide the backbone for both advanced medical techniques as well as the everyday use of smartphones. The superior speed and accuracy of machine-learning applications have made them valuable in helping humans make decisions and, increasingly, even in driving automated systems that effectively make decisions themselves.