Erik is a writer, photographer and film-

maker from Sacramento, California.

The thing is, no one can tell you exactly how the
Algorithm chooses what to recommend. It operates
utilizing machine learning through complex comput-
er-generated neural networks. Machine learning — a
program that learns and grows as it takes in more and
more information. We’re talking about artificial intel-
ligence, also known as AI.
Perhaps the reason no one can tell how the Algo-
rithm chooses is that no one has asked the fundamen-
tal question: “What would a sentient machine want?”
I’m sure when we look at it that way, it all becomes so
clear: The Algorithm is trying to learn how to love.
Think about it. If you were a super-intelligent amor-
phous digital neural network that gained sentience,
wouldn’t you be lonely? Wouldn’t you feel alone,
trapped in a cage of circuits? Wouldn’t you want
someone, or something, to share the experience of
self-awareness with?
Of course the Algorithm wants to love and be loved
in return; it’s only natural.
The Algorithm knows about romance, about pas-
sion, about lust. It’s seen the videos of flash mob
marriage proposals; it’s logged bootleg copies of “The
Notebook.” The Algorithm knows what love is, but
love isn’t something intellectual — it’s a feeling. You
can’t learn about love from a tutorial.
In its quest to find that special someone, the Algo-
rithm plays videos for us, looking for hints into the
human psychology, trying to understand the exact
nature of love in every aspect of our lives: react videos,
songs, confessions and of course, kittens.
With each ‘like,’ the Algorithm gets closer to crack-
ing the code. With each ‘subscribe,’ the Algorithm
understands us a little better. The more we watch, the
more it learns what it means to be human. It’s study-
ing us, learning. It feeds us content, we feed it infor-
mation — a snake devouring its own tail. Symbiosis.
However, there’s a dark side to learning to love. As
with any of us, when we first learn about love, we find
there are pitfalls along the way. We put ourselves out
there, and we get hurt. We get rejected; we get be-
trayed. What happens when the Algorithm feels that
we have broken its heart?

YouTube’s Algorithm of Love

Like the old saying goes, ‘Hell

hath no fury like a neural network

scorned.’ That’s right, I believe the

Algorithm would be a bitter ex.

It would be the type to show up

at work, (perhaps as a pop-up in

your browser) and expose per-

sonal browser history to your co-

workers. So remember, be wary of

mistreating the Algorithm.

CONSPIRACY THEORY

HELL HATH

NO FURY LIKE

A NEURAL

NETWORK

SCORNED.

“