INTRODUCTION

What is Machine Learning?

The field of machine learning is concerned with the question

of how to construct computer programs that automatically
improve with experience (T. Mitchell)

Principles, methods, and algorithms for learning and

prediction on the basis of past experience (MIT)

In the broadest sense, any method that incorporates

information from training samples in the design of a
classifier employs learning (DHS)

1
 INTRODUCTION

What is Machine Learning?

A simple decision model

2
 INTRODUCTION

What is Machine Learning?

An overly complex decision model

This may lead to worse classification than a simple model

3
 INTRODUCTION

What is Machine Learning?

May be this model is an optimal trade off between model

complexity and and performance on the training set

4
 INTRODUCTION

Types of Machine Learning

Supervised learning, where we get a set of training inputs

and outputs. The correct output for the training samples is
available

Unsupervised learning, where we are interested in capturing

inherent organization in the data. No specific output values
are supplied with the learning patterns

Reinforcement learning, where there are no exact outputs

supplied, but there is a reward (reinforcement) for desirable
behaviour
5
 INTRODUCTION

Why Use Machine Learning?

First, there are problems for which there exist no human
experts.

Example: in modern automated manufacturing facilities, there

is a need to predict machine failures before they occur by
analyzing sensor readings. Because the machines are new,
there are no human experts who can be interviewed by a
programmer to provide the knowledge necessary to build a
computer system. A machine learning system can study
recorded data and subsequent machine failures and learn
prediction rules.

6
 INTRODUCTION

Why Use Machine Learning?

Second, there are problems where human experts exist, but
where they are unable to explain their expertise.

This is the case in many perceptual tasks, such as speech

recognition, hand-writing recognition, and natural language
understanding. Virtually all humans exhibit expert-level
abilities on these tasks, but none of them can describe the
detailed steps that they follow as they perform them.
Fortunately, humans can provide machines with examples of
the inputs and correct outputs for these tasks, so machine
learning algorithms can learn to map the inputs to the outputs.

7
 INTRODUCTION

Why Use Machine Learning?

8
 INTRODUCTION

Why Use Machine Learning?

Third, there are problems where phenomena are changing

rapidly.

Example: people would like to predict the future behavior of

the stock market, of consumer purchases, or of exchange rates.
The rules and parameters governing these behaviors change
frequently, so that the computer program for prediction would
need to be rewritten frequently.

9
 INTRODUCTION

Why Use Machine Learning?

Fourth, there are applications that

need to be customized for each
computer user separately.

Example: a program to filter unwanted

electronic mail messages. Different
users will need different filters.

10
 INTRODUCTION

Course Book

Machine Learning
by Tom Mitchell
McGraw Hill, 1997

Reference Books
Pattern Classification
by Duda, Hart & Stork

All other material will be placed in the course folder

11
 INTRODUCTION

Reference

1st Chapter of Tom Mitchell’s book

12