Predictive Analytics: The Power to Predict Who Will Click, Buy, Lie, or Die

In this rich, entertaining primer, former Columbia University professor and Predictive Analytics World founder Eric Siegel reveals the power and perils of prediction: what types of mortgage risk Chase Bank predicted before the recession, predicting individuals who will drop out of school, cancel a subscription, or get divorced before they are even aware of it themselves. The book discusses why early retirement decreases life expectancy, vegetarians miss fewer flights, and explores five reasons why organizations predict death. A truly omnipresent science, predictive analytics affects everyone daily. Although largely unseen, it drives millions of decisions, determining whom to call, mail, investigate, incarcerate, set up on a date, or medicate. The final chapter presents a riddle about what happens to you that cannot be witnessed, yet can be predicted in advance. This book is easily understood by all readers, enticing lay-readers and experts alike with new case studies and the latest techniques.