Publication

Basics of machine learning

2025

Abstract

In this chapter, we describe basic machine learning concepts connected to optimization and generalization. Moreover, we present a probabilistic view on machine learning that enables us to deal with uncertainty in the predictions we make. Finally, we discuss various basic machine learning models such as support vector machines, neural networks, autoencoders, and autoregressive neural networks. Together, these topics form the machine learning preliminaries needed for understanding the contents of the rest of the book.

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2025

Abstract

Official source

Related concepts (23)

Machine learning

Machine learning (ML) is an umbrella term for solving problems for which development of algorithms by human programmers would be cost-prohibitive, and instead the problems are solved by helping machines 'discover' their 'own' algorithms, without needing to be explicitly told what to do by any human-developed algorithms. Recently, generative artificial neural networks have been able to surpass results of many previous approaches.

Recurrent neural network

A recurrent neural network (RNN) is one of the two broad types of artificial neural network, characterized by direction of the flow of information between its layers. In contrast to uni-directional feedforward neural network, it is a bi-directional artificial neural network, meaning that it allows the output from some nodes to affect subsequent input to the same nodes. Their ability to use internal state (memory) to process arbitrary sequences of inputs makes them applicable to tasks such as unsegmented, connected handwriting recognition or speech recognition.

Artificial neural network

Artificial neural networks (ANNs, also shortened to neural networks (NNs) or neural nets) are a branch of machine learning models that are built using principles of neuronal organization discovered by connectionism in the biological neural networks constituting animal brains. An ANN is based on a collection of connected units or nodes called artificial neurons, which loosely model the neurons in a biological brain. Each connection, like the synapses in a biological brain, can transmit a signal to other neurons.

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