[h00kwurm]

I’m really happy that folks are digging into the perceptual outcomes of the AB testing from headlines. Frankly, it provides context to the NYT’s own research and development of the algorithms and human processes that go into such efforts.

If the narrative is entirely that if we dont actively consider capturing interest, we’d be doddering and hard to track, if we do we’re abusive, then media is forever doomed to be unsatisfactory. We all hope to improve.

In the world of headlines, the “spiciness” that’s been advanced as a function of engagement hunting is something that’s currently contended with through human intervention. All headlines are human created and the outcomes of AB tests are more about improving the understanding between author/editor and captured audience than manipulation or future interest conditioning.

[disclosure: i lead ML platforms and the algo related eng products at NYT. all thoughts are my own presentation of what i have experienced, and not company opinions]