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When AI makes us forget how to think critically about data

Original: Let the Regression To The Mean Do Its Thing.

May 28, 2025
5 min read
Opinion
Intermediate
Let the Regression To The Mean Do Its Thing.

Summary

This blog post offers a valuable lesson for analytics professionals: embrace the natural phenomenon of regression to the mean and let it guide your data analysis. By understanding and leveraging this statistical principle, you can make more informed decisions, avoid common biases, and uncover meaningful insights that drive business impact. Whether you're a data analyst, business analyst, or product analyst, this post provides a thought-provoking perspective on how to approach your work with a deeper statistical understanding.

Who This Is For

Data Scientists
Business Analysts
Product Analysts

Key Takeaways

  • Understand how regression to the mean applies beyond statistics - to work culture and decision-making processes
  • Recognize the 'reliability gap' between AI output confidence and actual accuracy in data analysis
  • Learn to distinguish between statistical fluency and genuine insight when using AI tools
  • Develop practices to maintain critical thinking discipline in high-velocity, AI-assisted environments
  • Build systems that prioritize verification over speed to avoid drifting toward mediocre analysis

Tools & Technologies

AI/ML models Statistical analysis tools Machine learning platforms

Topics Covered

regression-to-the-mean statistical-concepts data-analysis

More from Juliana Jackson

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Actionable insights are the backbone of successful organizations, but they're only as powerful as the ownership and action they inspire. This blog post underscores the vital importance of embedding analytics within cross-functional teams, ensuring insights drive real business impact. Marketing analysts, product managers, and brand strategists will learn proven techniques to transform data into impactful decisions that move the needle for their organizations.

Juliana Jackson May 28, 2025
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Why Unit Economics Outlast Growth Metrics

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Understanding unit economics is essential for analytics professionals in SaaS and product-driven businesses. This post emphasizes how focusing on granular, per-customer profitability metrics can outlast vanity growth metrics, providing a more sustainable view of business performance. By mastering techniques to analyze customer acquisition costs, lifetime value, and other unit-level metrics, analysts can uncover crucial insights to inform strategic decision-making and drive long-term success.

Juliana Jackson May 28, 2025
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The Glazing Effect: How AI Interactions Quietly Undermine Critical Thinking

Why your AI buddy might be making you lazy (and what to do about it)

The blog post explores how AI-driven interactions can inadvertently undermine critical thinking, a key skill for analytics professionals. By understanding the "glazing effect" of AI, data analysts and product managers can learn to leverage AI responsibly and maintain a sharper, more discerning edge in their decision-making processes. This insight is particularly valuable for professionals tasked with extracting meaningful insights from data and driving impactful business strategies.

Juliana Jackson May 28, 2025
Intermediate

Related Resources in Analyst Skill Stack

Topics

regression-to-the-mean statistical-concepts data-analysis