34 votes

How I eat for free in NYC using Python, automation, artificial intelligence, and Instagram

10 comments

  1. crdpa
    (edited )
    Link
    I knew those things were mostly automated and had some ideas about how it worked, but seeing under the hood like this is eye-opening. It's amazing and depressing at the same time. It reminds me of...

    I knew those things were mostly automated and had some ideas about how it worked, but seeing under the hood like this is eye-opening.

    It's amazing and depressing at the same time. It reminds me of the bots on subreddits like askreddit.

    16 votes
  2. [2]
    nothis
    Link
    For free* * Like hundreds of hours of work worth of scripting.

    For free*

    * Like hundreds of hours of work worth of scripting.

    15 votes
    1. Greg
      Link Parent
      If I were to bet, it's as much about having a standout story to get his foot in the door for a top data science job as it is about the free food. Throw in a dash of "interesting weekend project"...

      If I were to bet, it's as much about having a standout story to get his foot in the door for a top data science job as it is about the free food.

      Throw in a dash of "interesting weekend project" and a glimmer of "maybe it'll hit a million followers and start pulling real money" on top of the dinners and I'd call it time we'll spent!

      11 votes
  3. [2]
    balooga
    Link
    I'm simultaneously inspired and revolted. Good on this guy for working the system, but I'm not jazzed about the emerging web of bots talking to other bots, endlessly, at the expense of real and...

    I'm simultaneously inspired and revolted. Good on this guy for working the system, but I'm not jazzed about the emerging web of bots talking to other bots, endlessly, at the expense of real and meaningful human interaction.

    11 votes
    1. clerical_terrors
      Link Parent
      I don't think that emergence is stoppable at this point, automated generation of content is already becoming increasingly sophisticated and rampant and will likely continue to do so because why...

      I don't think that emergence is stoppable at this point, automated generation of content is already becoming increasingly sophisticated and rampant and will likely continue to do so because why leave all that internet money lying around?

      4 votes
  4. Dragon
    Link
    This is one of the most interesting articles I have read in a long while, and I both love and despise the idea of an automated instagram.

    This is one of the most interesting articles I have read in a long while, and I both love and despise the idea of an automated instagram.

    7 votes
  5. [4]
    Pilgrim
    Link
    I'd love to know more about the tools used to do this. I assume Instragram has some sort of API he's using. This has some interesting implications for small business outside of scoring free meals.

    I'd love to know more about the tools used to do this. I assume Instragram has some sort of API he's using. This has some interesting implications for small business outside of scoring free meals.

    4 votes
    1. [3]
      unknown user
      Link Parent
      What are you thinking?

      This has some interesting implications for small business outside of scoring free meals.

      What are you thinking?

      1 vote
      1. Greg
        Link Parent
        Can't speak for OP, but my first thought was that a "build your own influencer" kit, into which you can inject your own brand messaging once every so often, would be a huge shift. Rather than...

        Can't speak for OP, but my first thought was that a "build your own influencer" kit, into which you can inject your own brand messaging once every so often, would be a huge shift. Rather than paying thousands for a post or two, anyone with a few devs can have a whole team of accounts giving them ongoing visibility for a one-off time investment.

        Of course, if it becomes too easy then we're back to square one in an increasing flooded and hard to navigate platform full of bots - if everyone's super, no-one is, and all that. Unfortunately that means the first mover advantage is even stronger.

        3 votes
      2. Pilgrim
        Link Parent
        I run an online small business and I'd love to automate some of the marketing work. It's not something I'd be able to do right now as I have other things to automate first, but it's on the horizon.

        I run an online small business and I'd love to automate some of the marketing work. It's not something I'd be able to do right now as I have other things to automate first, but it's on the horizon.