Plain English
Neural network
Layers of simple connected units that learn patterns from examples: the basic design of modern AI.
A system loosely inspired by the brain: layers of simple connected units that pass numbers to each other, adjusting the strength of each connection as they learn from examples. Large ones are the basis of deep learning and language models.
Why it matters
Neural networks learn patterns rather than following rules, which is why their output is flexible and also hard to explain step by step.
At work
The photo search on your phone that finds every picture of a receipt you’ve snapped is running a neural network.
Think of it like a mixing board with millions of tiny sliders: training nudges each one until what comes out sounds right.
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