PokéStops to human touch: Break free from the algorithm

Will you stop jumping into PokeStop battles when the deal is done, or are you of the mind that data and tracking are already pervasive so what’s one more game? The new owners are certainly hoping you choose the latter.

And yet, the same underlying technology that can be used to monitor, intimidate and control can also save lives. Japan recently updated its tsunami warning systems with sophisticated AI models that process seismic data in milliseconds. Their assessments are sobering at best with a worst-case megaquake claiming nearly 300,000 lives and causing $1.8 trillion in damage (for comparison, the recent Southern California fires are estimated to cost $4 billion in damages). Most importantly, the technology improves evacuation planning and offers evacuees precious minutes of warning. Hawaii has similar systems, marking April as Tsunami Awareness Month with the theme #GetTsunamiReady. For our coastal communities in San Mateo, these predictive systems leveraging massive datasets and artificial intelligence will be life saving.

Closer to home, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors last week debated a $2.65 million contract for AI tools called DocAssist and FieldAssist for our corrections system. The opportunity is compelling at face value: automate paperwork and optimize resources to redirect staff toward rehabilitation rather than administration. One of the questions that keeps coming up at 500 County Center in Redwood City is job displacement from AI.

After nearly three decades of outsized returns on enterprise productivity apps both enabling people to do more with better tooling but also enabling companies to continuously increase shareholder return with fewer hands, I have to say it’s refreshing for leaders to openly discuss the role that humans play in the workforce. Less paper pushing and more connecting, helping and relationship building — this is what keeps our communities strong. But, always present is the opportunity for bias in data and decision output, which is why the human touch will not be made completely invisible anytime soon.

Black-box large language models and training data are core to the conversation around distrust of AI. However, the antithesis of this sits squarely at the center of every community across the United States and so many still fail to engage with fully open-box learning. We are now a few days into National Library Week (April 6-12), with San Mateo Public Library hosting its festival under the theme “My Library Card is a Ticket to Anywhere.” While this might seem disconnected from this discussion, it’s incredibly relevant.

Libraries represent a fundamentally different model of information sharing — one built on democratic access, privacy protection and exploration driven by curiosity rather than engagement metrics. When algorithms increasingly determine what we see and know with black box learning models and algorithms, libraries offer a counterbalance rooted in human-led discovery. So consider dropping by one of the amazing events and perhaps spend some time roaming the stacks at your local library. Take a break from being told what to consume. See the full event lineup at sanmatocelebrates.com.

All of these technologies aren’t inherently good or evil — they’re tools shaped by the values we build into them. However, the power to shape our technological future starts with being informed. When we understand how AI and data systems are making decisions that affect our daily lives — from tsunami warnings to what services retain high-touch experiences — we can demand better tools that truly serve our community’s needs. The best place to start is right here at home in the heart of technology innovation where each of us can question, learn and advocate for technology that reflects our values, not the other way around.

Annie Tsai is chief operating officer at Interact (tryinteract.com), early stage investor and advisor with The House Fund (thehouse.fund), and a member of the San Mateo County Housing and Community Development Committee. Find Annie on Twitter @meannie.