Robin Hood Math: Taking the Algorithms Back with Noah Giansiracusa

In this episode of the ODSC Ai X Podcast, we speak with Noah Giansiracusa, a professor of mathematics at Bentley University and the author of Robin Hood Math (MIT Press, 2024). Noah makes the case that you don’t need to be a math genius to use numbers to challenge power, spot manipulation, and think more clearly in today’s data-saturated world. From social media algorithms to misleading rankings and risk perception, Noah explains how math is a tool for empowerment—not just abstraction. Key Topics Covered: Why “being pretty good at math” is enough for most real-world reasoning The real-world implications of expected value and decision theory How college and law school rankings are gamed—and what’s wrong with the metrics How social media platforms like Facebook use engagement formulas to shape behavior The problem with overestimating rare events Why being “numerically literate” is now a form of civic engagement The role of anecdotes vs. data in shaping perception and risk Memorable Outtakes: “What I wanted to do with this book was show people that you don’t have to be “When we talk about risk, the things we fear the most are often not the things that are most likely to happen—and that’s a statistical insight.” References & Resources: Robin Hood Math by Noah Giansiracusa https://www.noahgian.com/books Noah Giansiracusa’s website https://www.noahgian.com Noah Giansiracusa’s academic page: https://faculty.bentley.edu/profile/ngiansiracusa Mentioned research on COMPAS algorithm and algorithmic bias: https://www.propublica.org/article/machine-bias-risk-assessments-in-criminal-sentencing College ranking methodology critique https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_college_and_university_rankings_in_North_America Sponsored by: 🔥 ODSC AI West 2025 – The Leading AI Training Conference Join us in San Francisco from October 28th–30th for expert-led sessions on generative AI, LLMOps, and AI-driven automation. Use the code podcast for 10% off any ticket. Learn more: https://odsc.ai