Neural Networks and Artificial Intelligence: A Human-Inspired Model of Intelligence
The human brain is an incredibly complex and powerful structure that has fascinated and intimidated scientists, mathematicians, and computer engineers since their development. Our ability to learn, detect patterns, and even problem solve comes from this intricate masterpiece, and because of its complexity scientists hope to teach computers to think and act like humans do. This field of study, referred to as artificial intelligence (AI), needs an incredibly complex and powerful system to find patterns within patterns and thus “teach” the computer to make decisions. Enter neural networks.
What is a Neural Network?
Neural Networks are the backbone of AI and are modeled after the neurons found within the human brain. They are made up of nodes that are interconnected – much like neurons – that allow the AI to determine a course of action by recognizing patterns from given information. As new information is presented, it can be compared to a set of existing patterns within the neural network and the AI can then generate a prediction about what it will do next.
How Neural Networks Work
Neural networks are composed of layers of nodes that contain an input layer, a hidden layer, and an output layer. Each one is responsible for a different calculation. The nodes in the input layer receive the data to be analyzed, which is then transmitted to the hidden layer, where calculations are done to determine the most likely result. The output layer is then used to make a decision or take some kind of action based on the data it received.
The nodes in the network are connected by weights, which are used to determine the strength of the connection between two nodes. Basically, the more “weight” a connection has, the more strongly connected two nodes are and the more weight the decision made by the network will have.
Benefits of Neural Networks
Neural networks offer a powerful and flexible way of learning from data. They can generate predictions from new information by analyzing the data and recognizing patterns. In addition, neural networks are adaptable – they can be used to learn from new data quickly and accurately. This makes them an ideal choice for tasks that require fast responses, such as self-driving cars or robotic vacuums.
Limitations of Neural Networks
Despite their many strengths, neural networks have their limitations. They require a large amount of data to generate accurate results, and they can be prone to “overfitting” – meaning they tend to generate predictions that may not be accurate in the real world.
In addition, neural networks can be computationally intensive, meaning they require a lot of processing power to generate reasonable responses. For this reason, they are not well-suited to tasks that require real-time decisions, such as video games or emergency response systems.
Conclusion
Neural networks are powerful AI systems that are inspired by the human brain. They allow machines to learn from and make decisions from data, and they can be adapted to respond to new information quickly and accurately. While they have their limits in certain scenarios, overall they are an incredibly powerful tool for AI and will continue to play a major role in the future of AI and robotics.
Resources
- Introduction to Neural Networks – https://dsolutions.blog/2020/03/03/introduction-to-neural-networks/
- How neural networks work – https://blog.usejournal.com/how-neural-networks-work-ab279e02e4f0
- The Benefits and Limitations of Neural Networks – https://www.fortanix.com/blog/the-benefits-and-limitations-of-neural-networks/