Neil Raden - author at diginomica

Based in Santa Fe, NM, Neil Raden is a mathematician (algebraic topology), founder of a management consulting firm, consultant to large and complex projects internationally, an industry analyst, and widely published author and speaker. His early background was in Property and Casualty actuarial R&D, and he remains active in consulting to the insurance industry. He founded Hired Brains Research in 1985 to provide thought leadership, context and advisory consulting and implementation services in Data Architecture, Analytics, AI, Data Science and organizational change for clients worldwide across many industries. His current portfolio includes data warehouse modernization, AI Last Mile and Complex Supply Chain analytics. Neil is a recognized authority on AI Ethics, author of more than fifty articles on the subject on Diginomica, and the author of the foundational report for the Society of Actuaries, “Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence for Actuaries.” He, with James Taylor, is the co-author of the first book on Decision Management, “Smart (Enough) Systems.” Clients welcome his practical and valuable advice and counsel. He welcomes your comments at [email protected].

Articles by Neil Raden

Big oil in VC funding of GreenTech - positive sign or cynical greenwashing? This article is sponsored by:

On the surface, big oil investing in GreenTech looks like progress. But the reality is a bit more complicated. Where does industry transformation end, and greenwashing begin?

What have we learned about AI ethics? It's time for risk-based regulations This article is sponsored by:

The bad news? The typical approach to AI ethics hasn't worked. But a way forward is emerging - via a growing momentum for risk-based AI regulations.

Enterprise AI ambitions are at odds with distrust towards AI This article is sponsored by:

All we hear about is the massive transformative potential of AI. But on the ground, the reality of AI perceptions is different. How can organizations solve the data issues and other blockers that hold back innovate AI pursuits?

Robot model standing on dollar bills holding word ready? © yadali - Fotolia.com

Generative AI needs better context - you can't talk about Large Language Models without reverse neural networks and backpropagation This article is sponsored by:

The hype over Large Language Models (LLMs) has reached a fever pitch. But how much of the hype is justified? We can't answer that without some straight talk - and some definitions. Time for a technical review of how we got here.

Robot hand in trust AI machine learning © zapp2photo

The modern stack has a messy data problem This article is sponsored by:

Machine learning and AI is a non-starter without the right data. But are data lakes now legacy? What does a modern data stack (MDS) look like? A recent debate sheds light.

Business decisions mess and information data chaos as strategy confusion tiny person concept. Company leader lost focus about solutions and future plans for success and development © Vectormine - Shutterstock

Why are we obsessed with Big Data, when small data is hiding in plain sight? This article is sponsored by:

Before there was AI and data science, there were decision support software and ubiquitous spreadsheets. It was the age of small data, not Big Data. But have we lost something important along the way?

The insurance industry might be flirting with AI, but it's still lagging behind in CX This article is sponsored by:

At times, the insurance industry appears to react at a glacial pace - while paying lip service to the customer experience via massive ad budgets. But is change afoot? In some segments, AI is enabling InsureTech transformation, but we're not there yet.

Two businessmen race with laptops in competition - © alphaspirit - Fotolia.com

Six month moratorium on AI development? In your dreams This article is sponsored by:

Did the now-infamous six month AI moratorium letter ever have a chance? Here's a look inside the arguments - and where we go from here.

Rear view of businessman hands behind head looking at cloudy arrow in city sky © ImageFlow - shutterstock

Autonomous weapons systems - a cautionary use case for evaluating AI risks This article is sponsored by:

Lethal autonomous weapons systems bring the ethical concerns of Artificial Intelligence to a head. The use of such systems seems inevitable, but should it be? What can we learn from approaching this use case with a critical and ethical lens?

Humanoid robots working with headset and notebook © Phonlamai Photo - shutterstock

Inflation is the biggest US healthcare worry – but labor is a close second This article is sponsored by:

Hospitals are facing off against inflation and labor shortages. A review of the latest US healthcare data shows the extent of the problem. The Vaccine Economy brings a new set of healthcare finance questions, including the No Surprises Act.

Health practitioner hold laptop on drawn chalkboard

Can analytics make a company better? The answer isn't as easy as you think This article is sponsored by:

A new survey of Chief Data Officers (CDOs) and Chief Data and Analytics Officers (CDAOs) tracks analytics and AI adoption - and points to the challenges. But why does analytics fall short? Is it data quality, culture, or something else entirely?

Shadow IT never dies - why spreadsheets are still running your business This article is sponsored by:

Fifteen years ago, I logged my concerns about the limitations of Excel. Have we overcome these problems? Has the downside of spreadsheets been reduced? A deeper look sees progress in some areas - and plenty of spreadsheets.

Towards a sustainable, intelligent Internet - a plan to consider This article is sponsored by:

Amidst the surge of AI hype and consternation, the promise of a sustainable Internet may seem more distant than ever. However, a framework for addressing these issues is still within reach. Here's one position to consider.