Opinion: Why we need to simulate the entire U.S. health system
Facebook unveiled a remarkable piece of internal infrastructure in the spring of 2020. Called Web-Enabled Simulation (WES), the platform is a detailed replica of Facebook, with artificial user accounts ranging from simple bots that browse the site to machine-learning-based agents that mimic social interactions. The sophistication of the platform is astonishing.
Going far beyond traditional realms of software testing, which is typically directed at system behavior rather than user behavior, WES is like Facebook’s personal copy of itself. It’s a programmable alternate reality, allowing Facebook to better understand users, simulate bad content, uncover weaknesses in its privacy mechanisms, and, of course, refine the underpinnings of its global advertising empire.
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