Are We Being Misled by Data? Ron Wasserstein on AI, Bias, and Statistical Truth

About this episode

The episode features a discussion with Ron Wasserstein about the implications of statistics in the age of AI and misinformation.

In this episode of Breaking Math , Autumn and Noah speak with Ron Wasserstein, Executive Director of the American Statistical Association, about what statistics means in a world increasingly shaped by AI, misinformation, and fragile public trust. Wasserstein argues that statistics is not merely a “bag of tools,” but a way of thinking: asking where data comes from, what it leaves out, how uncertainty should be communicated, and when numbers are being used to illuminate rather than manipulate. Chapters 00:00 The Golden Age of Statistics 02:36 AI's Impact on Statistics 08:16 Data as Fuel for AI 10:55 Bias in AI and Statistics 14:01 Preparing Future Statisticians 16:58 Bridging the Gap: Academia and Industry 22:58 The Misconception of Statistics 23:08 The Role of Statistics in Public Discourse 26:20 The American Statistical Association's Mission 32:18 Statistics and Politics: A Historical Perspective 36:02 Addressing Misinformation and Misuse of Data 39:51 The Importance of Statistical Literacy 44:01 Misconceptions About Statistics and Expertise 46:57 The Essence of Statistics 47:22 Statistics as a Way of Thinking Follow Ron Wasserstein LinkedIn (…

People in this episode

Hosts: Autumn Phaneuf, Noah Giansiracusa

Guest: Ron Wasserstein

Topics covered

• statistics
• AI
• bias
• misinformation
• public trust
• statistical literacy

Keywords

• statistics
• AI
• bias
• misinformation
• public trust
• statistical literacy
• data

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: American Statistical Association

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