Episode notes
Our guests, Erwan Le Merrer and Gilles Tredan, are long-time collaborators in graph theory and distributed systems. They share their expertise on applying graph-based approaches to understanding both large language model (LLM) hallucinations and shadow banning on social media platforms. In this episode, listeners will learn how graph structures and metrics can reveal patterns in algorithmic behavior and platform moderation practices. Key insights include the use of graph theory to evaluate LLM outputs, uncovering patterns in hallucinated graphs that might hint at the underlying structure and…
Podcast
Data Skeptic
Kyle Polich · Tech & Science · English
The Data Skeptic Podcast features interviews and discussion of topics related to data science, statistics, machine learning, artificial intelligence and the like, all from the perspective of applying critical thinking and the scientific method to evaluate the veracity of claims and efficacy of…
More from Data Skeptic All episodes →
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3 Mar 2025 · 44 min
Organizational Network Analysis
In this episode, Gabriel Petrescu, an organizational network analyst, discusses how network science can provide deep insights into organizational structures using OrgXO, a tool that maps companies as networks rather than rigid hierarchies. Listeners will learn how analyzing workplace collaboration networks can reveal hidden influencers, organizational bottlenecks, and engagement levels, offering a data-driven approach to improving effectiveness and resilience. Key insights include how companies can identify overburdened employees, address silos between departments, and detect vulnerabilities…
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25 Feb 2025 · 28 min
Organizational Networks
Is it better to have your work team fully connected or sparsely connected? In this episode we'll try to answer this question and more with our guest Hiroki Sayama, a SUNY Distinguished Professor and director of the Center for Complex Systems at Binghamton University. Hiroki delves into the applications of network science in organizational structures and innovation dynamics by showing his recent work of extracting network structures from organizational charts to enable insights into decision-making and performance, He'll also cover how network connectivity impacts team creativity and…
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18 Feb 2025 · 43 min
Networks of the Mind
A man goes into a bar… This is the beginning of a riddle that our guest, Yoed Kennet, an assistant professor at the Technion's Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, uses to measure creativity in subjects. In our talk, Yoed speaks about how to combine cognitive science and network science to explore the complexities and decode the mysteries of the human mind. The listeners will learn how network science provides tools to map and analyze human memory, revealing how problem-solving and creativity emerge from changes in semantic memory structures. Key insights include the role of memory…
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10 Feb 2025 · 35 min
LLMs and Graphs Synergy
In this episode, Garima Agrawal, a senior researcher and AI consultant, brings her years of experience in data science and artificial intelligence. Listeners will learn about the evolving role of knowledge graphs in augmenting large language models (LLMs) for domain-specific tasks and how these tools can mitigate issues like hallucination in AI systems. Key insights include how LLMs can leverage knowledge graphs to improve accuracy by integrating domain expertise, reducing hallucinations, and enabling better reasoning. Real-life applications discussed range from enhancing customer support…
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4 Feb 2025 · 46 min
A Network of Networks
In this episode, Bnaya Gross, a Fulbright postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Complex Network Research at Northwestern University, explores the transformative applications of network science in fields ranging from infrastructure to medicine, by studying the interactions between networks ("a network of networks"). Listeners will learn how interdependent networks provide a framework for understanding cascading failures, such as power outages, and how these insights transfer to physical systems like superconducting materials and biological networks. Key takeaways include understanding how…
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22 Jan 2025 · 37 min
Fraud Detection with Graphs
In this episode, Šimon Mandlík, a PhD candidate at the Czech Technical University will talk with us about leveraging machine learning and graph-based techniques for cybersecurity applications. We'll learn how graphs are used to detect malicious activity in networks, such as identifying harmful domains and executable files by analyzing their relationships within vast datasets. This will include the use of hierarchical multi-instance learning (HML) to represent JSON-based network activity as graphs and the advantages of analyzing connections between entities (like clients, domains etc.). Our…
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15 Jan 2025 · 38 min
Optimizing Supply Chains with GNN
Thibaut Vidal, a professor at Polytechnique Montreal, specializes in leveraging advanced algorithms and machine learning to optimize supply chain operations. In this episode, listeners will learn how graph-based approaches can transform supply chains by enabling more efficient routing, districting, and decision-making in complex logistical networks. Key insights include the application of Graph Neural Networks to predict delivery costs, with potential to improve districting strategies for companies like UPS or Amazon and overcoming limitations of traditional heuristic methods. Thibaut's work…
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10 Jan 2025 · 48 min
The Mystery Behind Large Graphs
Our guest in this episode is David Tench, a Grace Hopper postdoctoral fellow at Lawrence Berkeley National Labs, who specializes in scalable graph algorithms and compression techniques to tackle massive datasets. In this episode, we will learn how his techniques enable real-time analysis of large datasets, such as particle tracking in physics experiments or social network analysis, by reducing storage requirements while preserving critical structural properties. David also challenges the common belief that giant graphs are sparse by pointing to a potential bias: Maybe because of the…
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16 Dec 2024 · 38 min
Customizing a Graph Solution
In this episode, Dave Bechberger, principal Graph Architect at AWS and author of "Graph Databases in Action", brings deep insights into the field of graph databases and their applications. Together we delve into specific scenarios in which Graph Databases provide unique solutions, such as in the fraud industry, and learn how to optimize our DB for questions around connections, such as "How are these entities related?" or "What patterns of interaction indicate anomalies?" This discussion sheds light on when organizations should consider adopting graph databases, particularly for cases that…
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9 Dec 2024 · 33 min
Graph Transformations
In this episode, Adam Machowczyk, a PhD student at the University of Leicester, specializes in graph rewriting and its intersection with machine learning, particularly Graph Neural Networks. Adam explains how graph rewriting provides a formalized method to modify graphs using rule-based transformations, allowing for tasks like graph completion, attribute prediction, and structural evolution. Bridging the worlds of graph rewriting and machine learning, Adam's work aspire to open new possibilities for creating adaptive, scalable models capable of solving challenges that traditional methods…
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