What is a Neural Network?

Machine Learning 6 min read

Definition

A neural network is a computing system inspired by the structure and function of biological neural networks in the human brain. It consists of interconnected nodes (neurons) organized in layers that process information using connectionist approaches. Through training, neural networks learn to recognize patterns and make predictions without being explicitly programmed with rules.

Structure

Input Layer: Receives raw data (text, images, numbers)
Hidden Layers: Process and transform data through weighted connections
Output Layer: Produces final prediction or classification
Weights & Biases: Parameters adjusted during training to minimize error

Common Types

Feedforward

Data flows in one direction

Convolutional (CNN)

Image and spatial data

Recurrent (RNN)

Sequential and time-series data

Transformer

Language and sequential data