With widespread use of machine learning, there have been serious societal consequences from using black box models for high-stakes decisions in criminal justice, healthcare, financial lending, and beyond. Interpretability of machine learning models is critical when the cost of a wrong decision is high. Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to work with power engineers, doctors, and police detectives. Using interpretable models has been the key to allowing me to help them with important high-stakes societal problems. Interpretability can bring us out of the ‘dark’ age of the black box into the age of insight and enlightenment.

This video was produced by the Chennai Mathematical Institute as part of the workshop Perspectives in Mathematical Sciences.