Microsoft's Machine Learning team came together to create How-old.net, a website that uses the company's Face API (essentially a facial detector for photos) to guess users' age. Sometimes technology is used for good, and sometimes it's used for evil; this is definitely an example of the latter, with the results varying from pretty accurate to wildly off-base.
Curious (and brave) individuals have been uploading photos of themselves to How-old.net and sharing the results of this experiment with their social media. Many users have been getting drastically different results depending on what photo they put up. Try it if you dare (and only if you have really flattering lighting at your disposal)!
But before you start wondering what Microsoft professionals were doing tinkering with age-guessing algorithms, know that how-old.net was actually borne out of an experiment looking at real-time usage analytic and face analysis.
Age-Prediction Algorithms
Microsoft Introduces How-Old.Net as a Way to Guess Users' Age
Trend Themes
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2. Facial Detection Technology - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Enhance facial detection technology to not only guess age, but also gender and other facial attributes for personalized marketing and identification purposes.
3. Real-time Usage Analytics - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Use real-time usage analytics to gain insights into user behavior and preferences, allowing for targeted marketing strategies and product improvements.
Industry Implications
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2. Healthcare - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop age-prediction algorithms and facial detection technology to assist in medical diagnosis and patient care.
3. Technology - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Utilize real-time usage analytics to optimize user experience and improve product development in various technology sectors.