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When does A.I. (artificial intelligence) technology takeover the grading process and revolutionize?
Odessafile
Posts: 440 ✭✭✭
At what point does technology revolutionize grading and speed up the entire business? As the hobby grows at some point companies like PSA may be economically tempted to let the computerized world alleviate their load and increase their entire profitability. Will it happen soon? ..in 5 to 10 years? Does it EVEN happen at all? Im certain there are a myriad of intricate issues regarding proficiency and accuracy etc.... When it comes to accuracy and speed can the human eye compete? A. I. doesn't need healthcare, 401k's or get sick. The cost savings would likely payoff in not too long a duration. OR is the human eye that valuable and irreplaceable? What I don't know could fill a book on the topic.
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They already have optical measuring devices that could check some of the cards attributes like size, miscuts probably centering. I used one almost 20 years ago to check printed circuit boards.
Machine could print out measurements as well. Would be nice to have some documentation on graders decisions.
Slippery slope
The first rule when talking about A.I. is don’t talk about A.I. or.........wahhhhh bam! Sky net gets you and you’re BANNED!
Kevin
....
I can certainly see a system where a machine sorts cards into piles of potential 10's, another for 9's, etc. based on a criteria it has programmed into it. A human could then go behind the machine as a sort of quality control. It happens in many manufacturing processes already.
I think if PSA isn’t investing in technology to take over grading then they are opening themselves up to being pushed out very quickly. So many companies have gone out of business due to them not changing their ways as technology has changed. All it takes is a couple guys who can code and have some high quality cameras and like cards to sit down and do the dirty work and start a company.
Honestly I would much rather a machine grade my cards because a machine doesn’t have a bad day, get disgruntled, mad about low wages, or have an opinion. How many times have we seen people post about the “grader of death”.
Interesting...but if a machine grades the cards, why could the manufacturer's machine that creates the cards also grade them before they are even sold? Then you would have a manufacturer grade and a 3rd party grade. I hope I get a Topps-PSA 10-10 someday....and we would have new catch phrases: buy the card, not the holder within the holder
We have an expectation with grading that's objective - perhaps scientific - that the size be appropriate - not mis-cut - sharp corners - centering...
But, I believe there "is" a subjective element which can elevate a card - I can't define it - but know it when I see it - I believe PSA calls it "eye appeal?"
And, it would be hard - with our current technology - to program a computer to apply "subjective eye appeal" IMO.
Am hoping that the banhammer came down on a comment on another thread because the conversation is actually a legit question about the future of grading
Please don't give these guys any ideas. The rainbow every color stuff is already mayhem enough. lol
A manufacturer couldn’t grade the card endless they encapsulate the cards for you.
I'm pretty sure it did. Someone else posted their thoughts about why before.
Kevin
Yep, it was something else. His thread about turnaround times went poof.
Someone's initial post was a severe slam against PSA. A "We're not gonna take it, who is with me?" A few showed their frustration and vented a bit. I believe an alt and/or troll made that his first post only to stir the pot and cause trouble (which he did quite successfully). We also lost RepublicaninMass. I really enjoyed his post about the 1952s. If PSA was asking my advise (which they are not nor ever will) I would get rid of the original poster and warn the others that although they have a legitimate complaint, they need to back off a bit.
http://www.unisquare.com/store/brick/
Ralph
I guess someboy has started already..
https://tradingcards.ai
I think the bigger question is, when does it take over completely?
It already has. I go out to eat at lunch. A whole table full of high school students eating their lunch with their phones in one hand and eating with the other. Not a single word is spoken. The machines have already won.
Kris
My 1971 Topps adventure - Davis Men in Black
The day that PSA hires this guy to grade our cards, is the day I stop submitting cards to them.
To put it another way: when do TPGs replace Lucy and Ethel with robots?
