Activation Function

An activation function in an artificial neural network (ANN) is a mathematical function that processes a neuron's input and determines its output. It helps decide whether a neuron should be activated, allowing the network to capture complex relationships in data. When non-linear activation functions are used, they enable the network to model non-linear patterns and interactions.

Common Activation Functions

Adaptive Boosting (AdaBoost)

AdaBoost (Adaptive Boosting) is an ensemble learning algorithm that combines multiple weak learners (usually decision stumps) to create a strong classifier.

Types of AdaBoost

Applications of AdaBoost

Adam Optimizer

Adam (Adaptive Moment Estimation) is a popular optimization algorithm in deep learning that combines momentum and adaptive learning rates.

Variants of Adam Optimization

A/B Testing

A/B testing is a statistical method used to compare two versions of a model, system, or experiment to determine which one performs better.

Variants of A/B Testing

Key Applications of A/B Testing

Algorithm Bias

The presence of systematic errors in machine learning models due to biased data or assumptions.

Example

Seen in biased hiring algorithms.

AlphaGo

AlphaGo is a deep reinforcement learning-based AI developed by DeepMind that defeated human champions in Go.

Example

Used in reinforcement learning research.

Anomaly Detection

Anomaly detection is the process of identifying data points that deviate significantly from the norm.

Types of Anomaly Detection

Example

Used in fraud detection and cybersecurity.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI is the broad field of creating machines that can mimic human intelligence, including reasoning, learning, and decision-making.

Types of AI

Example

AI-powered assistants like Siri and Alexa.

Artificial Neural Network (ANN)

ANN is a computational model inspired by the structure of the human brain, consisting of layers of interconnected neurons that process data and learn patterns.

Types of ANN

Example

Used in image recognition and self-driving cars.

Attention Mechanism

A technique that allows neural networks to focus on important parts of input data, widely used in NLP.

Example

Used in machine translation models like Transformer.

Autoencoder

An Autoencoder is a type of neural network used for unsupervised learning that compresses and reconstructs data.

Types of Autoencoders

Example

Used in anomaly detection and data compression.

AutoML

Automated Machine Learning (AutoML) refers to the process of automating ML model selection and hyperparameter tuning.

Example

Used in cloud-based ML platforms.

Augmented Data

Data augmentation involves artificially increasing training data by applying transformations like rotation, flipping, and scaling.

Example

Used in image classification to improve generalization.

Auto-Regressive Model

A statistical model where future values depend on past values.

Example

Used in time series forecasting.

Average Pooling

Average pooling is a down-sampling technique in convolutional neural networks (CNNs) that reduces dimensionality by averaging values in a local region.

Example

Used in image processing to retain feature information.

Approximate Nearest Neighbor

A technique used to find the nearest data points in high-dimensional space efficiently.

Example

Used in recommendation systems.

Adaptive Learning Rate

An optimization technique that adjusts the learning rate dynamically during training.

Example

Used in optimizers like Adam and RMSprop.

Associative Memory

A type of memory system in artificial neural networks that recalls stored patterns when given partial input.

Example

Used in pattern recognition and AI assistants.

Auto Regression

A statistical method where future values of a variable are predicted based on past values.

Example

Used in time series forecasting.

Adaptive Sampling

A technique in machine learning where sampling is adjusted dynamically based on model performance or uncertainty.

Example

Used in active learning models.

Attribute Selection

The process of selecting the most relevant features in a dataset to improve model performance.

Example

Used in dimensionality reduction and preprocessing.

Adversarial Attack

A technique where small, intentional modifications are made to input data to trick a machine learning model.

Example

Used to test the robustness of deep learning models.

Approximation Algorithm

A computational method used to find near-optimal solutions when exact solutions are computationally infeasible.

Example

Used in NP-hard problems like clustering.

Adaptive Thresholding

A technique used to segment an image by computing different threshold values based on local regions.

Example

Used in image processing and OCR.

Auto Differentiation

A technique used in deep learning to compute gradients efficiently for optimization.

Example

Used in backpropagation during model training.

AutoML Pipeline

A structured workflow for automating the entire machine learning process, from data preprocessing to model deployment.

Example

Used in cloud-based ML automation.

Adaptive Boosting Trees

A machine learning algorithm that combines decision trees using boosting techniques to improve accuracy.

Example

Used in ensemble learning and Kaggle competitions.

Approximate Bayesian Computation

A Bayesian inference method used when likelihood functions are computationally expensive to evaluate.

Example

Used in probabilistic modeling.

Active Learning

A machine learning approach where the model actively selects the most informative data points for labeling.

Example

Used in semi-supervised learning.

Adaptive Gradient Descent

A variant of gradient descent that adapts learning rates individually for each parameter.

Example

Used in optimization algorithms like Adagrad.

Adaptive Resonance Theory (ART)

A neural network framework designed to classify changing data over time without forgetting previous knowledge.

Example

Used in clustering and speech recognition.

Algorithmic Fairness

A concept in AI ethics that ensures models make unbiased decisions across different demographic groups.

Example

Used in fairness-aware AI systems.

Abstraction in AI

A process where complex data structures and behaviors are represented in simpler terms for better understanding.

Example

Used in knowledge representation and symbolic AI.

Affinity Propagation

A clustering algorithm that identifies exemplars in a dataset and groups data points based on similarity.

Example

Used in image segmentation and recommendation systems.

Agent-Based Modeling

A computational modeling approach where autonomous agents interact based on predefined rules to simulate complex systems.

Example

Used in social simulations and economic forecasting.

AIC (Akaike Information Criterion)

A statistical measure used to evaluate the quality of a model, balancing goodness of fit and complexity.

Example

Used in model selection for regression and classification problems.

Alignment in AI

The challenge of ensuring that AI systems act in accordance with human values and ethical guidelines.

Example

Used in AI safety and governance research.

Alpha-Beta Pruning

An optimization technique in decision tree algorithms that reduces the number of nodes evaluated in minimax search.

Example

Used in AI game playing, such as chess engines.

Augmented Reality (AR)

A technology that overlays digital information onto the real world, often powered by AI for object recognition.

Example

Used in AR apps like Pokémon GO and virtual try-ons.

Automated Feature Engineering

The process of using AI to automatically extract and generate the most relevant features from raw data.

Example

Used in AutoML frameworks for improved model accuracy.

Machine Learning (ML)

ML is a subset of AI that enables machines to learn patterns from data and make predictions or decisions without explicit programming.

Types of ML

Example

Spam detection in emails using classification models.

Deep Learning (DL)

DL is a subset of ML that uses artificial neural networks to process complex data and perform high-level computations.

Example

Image recognition in self-driving cars.

Generative AI (Gen AI)

Gen AI refers to AI models that generate new content, including text, images, and code, using trained knowledge bases.

Example

AI models like ChatGPT and Stable Diffusion that generate text and images.