This got me thinking. If you watch the explanation of David Lauer on how high frequency trading occurs on Wallstreet, it's incredible: high frequency trading with sophisticated algorithms. Unknown to many people, financial institutions have incredibly fast fiber-optic cables directly connected to the NYSE server. And believe it or not, these financial institution's computers practically live in the same basement as the NYSE servers.
Unfortunately, WE (the people) don't have that immediate access to the markets like THEY (DS) do. Our government allows these financial institutions to use sophisticated algorithms to even 'predict' how the market will respond within micro-seconds. Yes, micro-seconds. It's incredible, the sheer volume of our market is traded by algorithms alone, really boxing out any type of human intervention. And if you add all this up, you'll come to the simple conclusion that our entire stock market is one massive fraud, one algorithm battling another.
Imagine how artificial intelligence (AI) could be leveraged to capitalize on this, and even as far as 'predicting' into the future? Imagine if AI had the ability to predict human events and how we would react to them? Imagine if AI could shape then entire economic/financial system based on these algorithms? Imagine if this has already happened and how dangerous AI really can be….
What if there are classified AI (machine learning) programs that are so advance that they are able to 'peek' into the future based on what is written, on TV and other media formats? That the AI is able to discern and "predict" future events based off of what it can analzye - or what is published to the internet.
Imagine AI so advance that not only can it 'peek' into the future anymore but it can actually manipulate how we perceive our own reality? That at the end of the day, all the AI algos care about is its true function & design: PROFITS. And the absolute best way of achieving a desired outcome, is to control the rules, ie, distort our own reality. It's not that advance AI needs to 'predict' outcomes anymore, it's that they are able create the CONDITIONS necessary for the DESIRED OUTCOMES.
What if the reason why Q (quantum computing) exists was a way to bypass these AI algorithms in order to communicate with us -while at the same time - making it difficult for AI algos to pick up what is being communicated? No matter how technical computers and AI can be, they have a massive flaw. It's a flaw that makes us human: context, emotions & illogical behavior. This is why ‘memes’ are effective. Humans, by nature, are unpredictable.
What if AI algos created the 4am talking points in order to 'control' the narrative? That the financial institutions and our media are inseparable?
What if, in some way, the Matrix is actually real?
Edit: One more thing: The stock market is effectively built on “confidence”, which is really “perception” (and you can see where I’m going with this based on my above comments). For example, we can see how quickly a good day in the markets can immediately go south simply based on national and international events. Imagine if something so wild as to admit that we have aliens who live on the moon or we have all these cures and technological advancements that can propel our civilization… how quickly the public’s faith in these institutions would dissolve, like the financial institution. And if that happens, you pull the plug on everything. An awake public is literally what they fear… for this very reason.
If people refuse to believe in the system, then they are free from control.
High frequency trading is observing what someone is going to buy or sell for, and then racing to the market to bid pennies more or less than the next best bidder. Then they turn around and buy/sell to the other guy for pennies more/less than he could have gotten. That's why there's fiber optic cables: so you can race at the speed of light to make pennies off of each other trade, and if you do it enough times per day, you can accumulate significant sums of money.
It's a shady practice for sure, but I doubt it predicts the future. In fact, these algorithms probably get it wrong sometimes, and that reduces profits.
I doubt humans will ever be capable of creating AI like we see in the movies. Only God can do that.
That kind of reminds me of that movie scene from Office Space ‐ Fractions of a Penny.
https://youtu.be/yZjCQ3T5yXo
Yes, but it's more like sniping an eBay auction. Whoever has the fastest internet can get in at the last fraction of a second and outbid the previously highest bidder, and by just a few pennies.
The difference with the movie is HFT is legal whereas actually stealing pennies (in the movie) is theft.
What you're saying is true, but what needs to be further examined here is how the very existence of this practice CREATES artificial pricing movements that would otherwise not exist. It's a problem. It's an oroboros. It's hunger is never slaked, despite the consequences. Ya dig?
Yes and no.
Yes, an automated purchase or sale of asset A can trigger a separate automated purchase or sale of asset B, and these things can compound each other into arbitrarily long chains of transactions. And those chains can exert a lot of market movement.
But I believe in the Efficient Market Hypothesis. If the computers are going haywire and transacting at crazy prices, I believe there are other market participants that will step in and exploit the computers, which, in and of itself, helps to correct the error and restore balance.
These blips can last for a short amount of time, or they can last for years, but in the end the market returns to balance.