When is 95% Accuracy Impressive?

Not often.

Rather than analyzing an accuracy rate in a vacuum, ensure that you also analyze:

  • The complexity of the problem
  • The amount of data
  • The consequences of the accuracy determination

If you’re comparing 20 contestants at a small beauty pageant where the winner gets a McDonald’s gift card, a 95% accuracy rate may be acceptable.

But if you’re using the 1 billion+ Aadhaar database to confirm an identity and access the money in your bank account, 95% accuracy will be a national scandal.

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