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  • Sep
    6

    Meena Jagadeesan, UC Berkeley Tues Sept 6 11AM "Machine Learning in Digital Marketplaces: Interactions between Learners, Consumers, and Producers"

    Department of Computer Science

    11:00 AM 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)

    EVENT DETAILSmore info

    Tuesday / CS Seminar
    September 6th / 11:00 AM
    Hybrid / Mudd 3514

    "Machine Learning in Digital Marketplaces: Interactions between Learners, Consumers, and Producers"
    Meena Jagadeesan, UC Berkeley

    Zoom: https://northwestern.zoom.us/j/91026176586?pwd=VUpacWtaRnpGMzRLVXE5YTFPYmpkQT09

    Livestream: https://www.ideal.northwestern.edu/special-quarters/fall-2022/workshops/panopto-9-6-22

    Abstract:
    Machine learning is typically analyzed as an isolated system. In reality, machine learning is often performed by a platform that is situated within a marketplace of consumers, producers, and other platforms performing machine learning. In this talk, we examine how the learning algorithm impacts and is affected by the marketplace, and we use recommender systems as a running example.
    First, we show that competition between digital platforms need not align market outcomes with user preferences, challenging conventional economic wisdom. Roughly speaking, the number of users on the platform impacts how much data the platform has and thus quality of its service. The platform thus doesn’t have to fully cater to users to have an edge over competitors. Moreover, this misalignment with user preferences persists even if platforms are required to share their data.

    Next, we examine how algorithmic recommendations shape the content that producers create. When the platform’s recommendations are personalized, producers compete to have their content shown to individual users. This fine-grained competition can incentivize producers to specialize their content, which leads to the formation of genres. Furthermore, when there is sufficient specialization, producers can achieve positive profit at equilibrium, which is indicative of monopoly-like behavior.

    More broadly, we highlight several avenues through which the learning algorithm and the marketplace interact with each other. To design effective learning algorithms and regulatory policy, researchers need to formalize and account for how machine learning is affected by the marketplace in which it occurs.

    Based on joint work with Nikhil Garg, Moritz Hardt, Nika Haghtalab, Michael I. Jordan, Celestine Mendler-Dünner, and Jacob Steinhardt.

    Biography: Meena Jagadeesan is a 3rd year PhD student in computer science at UC Berkeley advised by Michael I. Jordan and Jacob Steinhardt. She works on the theoretical foundations of machine learning and algorithmic decision-making. Previously, she received an A.B. and S.M. in computer science from Harvard. Her research is supported by an Open Philanthropy AI Fellowship and a Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship.

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    TIME Tuesday, September 6, 2022 at 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

    LOCATION 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)    map it

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    CONTACT Wynante Charles    wynante.charles@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR Department of Computer Science

  • Jan
    28

    CANCELLED - Public Lecture Series

    Department of Computer Science (CS)

    4:00 PM

    EVENT DETAILS

    TIME Wednesday, January 28, 2026 at 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

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    CONTACT Wynante R Charles    wynante.charles@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR Department of Computer Science (CS)

  • Jan
    29

    Bagel Thursday

    Department of Computer Science (CS)

    9:00 AM 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)

    EVENT DETAILS

    TIME Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

    LOCATION 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)    map it

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    CONTACT Wynante R Charles    wynante.charles@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR Department of Computer Science (CS)

  • Feb
    2

    CS Seminar

    Department of Computer Science (CS)

    12:00 PM 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)

    EVENT DETAILS

    TIME Monday, February 2, 2026 at 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

    LOCATION 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)    map it

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    CONTACT Wynante R Charles    wynante.charles@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR Department of Computer Science (CS)

  • Feb
    25

    CS Seminar

    Department of Computer Science (CS)

    12:00 PM 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)

    EVENT DETAILS

    TIME Wednesday, February 25, 2026 at 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

    LOCATION 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)    map it

    ADD TO CALENDAR

    CONTACT Wynante R Charles    wynante.charles@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR Department of Computer Science (CS)

  • Feb
    26

    Bagel Thursday

    Department of Computer Science (CS)

    9:00 AM 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)

    EVENT DETAILS

    TIME Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

    LOCATION 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)    map it

    ADD TO CALENDAR

    CONTACT Wynante R Charles    wynante.charles@northwestern.edu EMAIL

    CALENDAR Department of Computer Science (CS)