New...
Measuring happiness...
In unstructured online media text, users reveal their emotions in ways analogous to the principle of revealed preference in consumer demand theory. Machine learning techniques can be used to construct real-time measures of sentiment/well-being.
Here is a paper which gives the practical illustration . The Feel Good Factor for London is updated regularly here.
Challenging Rationality...
The rational choice theory of economics still works well in many contexts. But it faces increasing challenges when networks, social influence and emotion are playing an increasing role in decision making. Here is a presentation I gave on the topic to a conference organised by ING bank in Amsterdam.
The Obesity Epidemic
Obesity has become a major problem in the West, highlighted by the Covid crisis. Here is a paper on how obesity in the US has grown rapidly over the past 30 years, along with potential explanations.
Income Inequality
There is still intensive debate about income inequality, and in particular the pay of the top 1 per cent. Here is a piece I contributed to a book on the topic.
Machine Learning
Here are the slides of a keynote presentation I gave to a Bank of England/Federal Reserve conference on better ways to understand economic recessions using machine learning
Recent Posts from the Blog
Windfall taxes, like speeding fines, can’t be a plaster solution for losing tax revenue
The flashing yellow boxes in the roads of Hammersmith and Fulham have become notorious. On Talgarth Road, a single one alone yields over £3m in
Artificial intelligence won’t destroy your job, just look at Octopus Energy’s use of AI
There is growing concern about the potential power of AI to develop itself and to dominate humanity. Elon Musk was the best known of the
Starmer is right, we need to give up on the cult of a university education for all
Labour leader Keir Starmer came under fire for his recent reverse ferret on abolishing university tuition fees. Some see it as an inability to stick
