Newsgroups: comp.ai.neural-nets
Path: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!das-news2.harvard.edu!news2.near.net!news.mathworks.com!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!swrinde!sgiblab!sgigate.sgi.com!enews.sgi.com!decwrl!amd!netcomsv!netcomsv!netcom.com!park
From: park@netcom.com (Bill Park)
Subject: Profitable NN Applications?
Message-ID: <parkCy0zrD.9Er@netcom.com>
Followup-To: comp.ai.neural-nets
Summary: "Where's the beef?"
Keywords: Beef bull bucks baloney
Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest)
Date: Fri, 21 Oct 1994 13:50:01 GMT
Lines: 43

I'm trying to convice some skeptical people that neural nets are not
just another over-hyped AI scam by fast-talking entrepreneurs and
wooly-minded academics loafing on the government dole.

What are some successful, profitable, commercial applications of
neural networks?  I don't mean one-shot tests or prototypes; I mean
applications in which the neural net system is used daily in the
military, business, hospitals, or industry and makes tons of money for
the lucky people using (as opposed to selling) it.  Preferably an
application in which the NN is used in many "seats" in the same
organization, because it works so well.  Reliable reports of proven
dollar value to a user would be nice.

The only possible examples I can think of are

1) adaptive filters in modems (OK, pretty trivial NNs)

2) rumors of optical character recognition systems that use NNs

3) rumors of continuous-process control applications in the chemical
   industry

4) SAIC's neutron-activation bomb detector that supposedly was going
   to be installed in airports all over the world at megabucks per unit,
   five years ago, but I haven't heard of any airports shelling out
   for them yet

5) rumors of financial applications, such as credit card
   authorization.  But every one I've heard any details about is
   something other than a pure NN -- they mix in expert systems,
   second-guessing by people, conventional credit-scoring systems
   (e.g., Faire-Issacs), tea-leaf reading, biorhythms, horoscopes, and
   the phase of the moon.  That makes the true value of the NN's
   contribution rather equivocal.

What is the "killer application" for neural nets, so far?

Thanks,
Bill Park
=========

"Those are really sharp duds you're wearing, Emperor. Who's your tailor?"
-- 
Grandpaw Bill's High Technology Consulting & Live Bait, Inc.
