day 3K371: Data Labeling

“Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”

There is nothing magical or technologically revolutionary about “Data Labeling”.  We have been practicing this since the beginning of time, we just didn’t call it “Data” and we didn’t have a reason to understand it as “Labeling”.  Essentially, “Data Labeling” is the act and work of categorizing and adding context to an observation.  For example, last month, Patti drove my Tesla to a meeting.  As she was backing out of the parking spot she brushed the fender of my car into the fender of a car parked next to her.  Consequently, the left front fender of my car needed to be replaced.  To make that happen I had to take the car to an auto body shop and have the repair person provide me an estimate to give to an insurance adjuster, who then validated the estimate and approved the repair.  What both of these individuals were doing was “Data Labeling”.  The repair person was using his expertise and knowledge to estimate the parts, labor, time and ultimately a cost.  The insurance person was using their experience and knowledge to challenge and ultimately approve what the repair person submitted.  And from the learning about my car, they each added to their own knowledge base, for the next time they are faced with a similar situation.  Now, think abut what happens when in the world of A.I., “Data Labelers” were to add context to 200,000 photos of different damaged cars; ranking severity, costs, parts, etc. and then that information is fed into the A.I. model and from that point on the insurance company (and possibly the body shop) use this to provide their approvals and feedback. “Data Labeling” has always been an activity, but today and in the future there is a place for it to be captured in large numbers and then never to be forgotten, only to be added onto (and hopefully) improved for the better.

We like to pray and think we are additive to the Kingdom of God here on Earth.  We are, if we are God’s “Data Labelers”, not the world’s. With each word, each action, each thought, we have the opportunity to add to the fullness and goodness of what God wants to do with our lives and the lives of others. We are “Data” and we are “Labels” in God’s Kingdom.  What is it that we will do today to be additive and provide more context to others on what it is that God is doing in our lives and what He can do in theirs?

Reference: James 2:18 (New Living Translation)

For those in the U.S., “Happy Thanksgiving” and enjoy the long weekend with family and friends. PwK will be back on Monday.