Lesson 4: A 2×2 Matrix for Evaluating AI Use Cases | Daphne Koller

In the 19th century, Chinese laborers in the United States used snake oil as a joint pain reliever. The practice caught on, and European settlers began selling their own formulations. But consumers were scandalized when an investigation revealed that a popular brand contained no actual “snake oil.” The term became synonymous with grifting. AI companies, too, can fail to deliver on their promises. In this video lesson, insitro CEO and AI expert Daphne Koller offers a framework for making informed decisions about which AI products to invest in. Attractiveness: Does it increase my organization’s efficiency (by 1%, 5%, 50%, etc.)? Feasibility: How much would I have to rearchitect my system to introduce this AI? Do I trust that it can deliver on its promises? Come in with a critical lens. Ask: Do I believe what I’m told? Can I do a small pilot to test value? © Freethink Media Inc., All Rights Reserved. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think: ►Become a Big Think Youtube Member Get exclusive classes and early, ad-free access to new releases without leaving Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/@bigthink/membership/ ►Become a Big Think Web Member Get the entire Big Think Class library, premium print issues, live events, and more. https://bigthink.com/membership/ ►Subscribe to Big Think on Substack Get all of your favorite Big Think content delivered to your inbox. https://bigthinkmedia.substack.com/subscribe/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Daphne Koller: Daphne Koller is the founder and CEO of insitro, where machine learning is applied to drug discovery and development. She also co-founded the digital learning platforms Coursera and Engageli. Koller spent 18 years as a professor of computer science at Stanford University, earning the Stanford Medal for Excellence in Fostering Undergraduate Research, and now serves as an adjunct faculty member. She was previously chief computing officer at Calico. She was named a MacArthur Fellow in 2004. She's also been inducted into the National Academy of Engineering, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the International Society of Computational Biology, and the National Academy of Sciences. She has authored more than 300 peer-reviewed publications in journals including Science and Cell and was named one of TIME’s 100 most influential people in AI in 2024.