Imagine knowing the date of your death? This idea which once seemed unthinkable is soon becoming a reality thanks to modern technology and the power of algorithms. The Danish AI called Life2Vec (which you can use for free here) managed to predict the circumstances of a person’s death in about 78.8% of cases, according to a study published in mid-December in the journal Nature Computational Science and cited by Le Figaro.
This feat is the result of the joint work of Danish and American scientists who fed the algorithm with personal data of 6 million Danes covering medical, social and economic aspects.
Use past models
During the period from 2008 to 2016, 100,000 profiles of people aged 35 to 67 were tested.. Half of these individuals died after 4 years, and this was of course on purpose. The underlying goal was to predict future events (such as death) based on past models.
The results of the study show that predictions of social and health problems outperform existing models. According to the Technical University of Denmark, the findings are quite predictable – and you don’t have to be a machine to guess them: Men with the lowest incomes are more likely to die.
Morality and Legality
However, this Technological advances raise important ethical and legal questions. Laura Tokmakov Venciarutti, director of the Impact IA Foundation, emphasizes that this model can be used for positive purposes such as implementing actions to prevent individual health or social problems or overcome inequalities.
However, the director also warns against misuse of this technology, particularly by insurance companies who may be tempted to assess the life expectancy of their customers. These same insurers are often the target of criticism when they offer customers connected watches to monitor their physical activity and adapt insurance policies.
Despite the concerns raised, Sune Lehmann Jorgensen, one of the study’s authors, wants to offer reassurance. He emphasizes the importance of raising public awareness of the possibilities offered by these technological advances, stressing that they should not be developed in the shadows but openly and publicly discussed.
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