Core
Neural Network
A computational model composed of layers of interconnected nodes (neurons) that process data through weighted connections, learning to approximate complex functions.
Explained at five levels
Level 1
A computer brain made of tiny connected pieces that work together to figure things out, kind of like how your brain works.
Level 2
A computer system inspired by the human brain — lots of small parts called "neurons" connected together that learn to recognize patterns.
Level 3
A computational model composed of layers of interconnected nodes (neurons) that process data through weighted connections, learning to approximate complex functions.
Level 4
A parameterized function approximator organized in layers of artificial neurons with learnable weights, trained via backpropagation and gradient descent to minimize a loss function.
Level 5
A directed computational graph of differentiable operators where each node applies an affine transformation followed by a nonlinear activation, trained end-to-end via stochastic gradient descent on a loss surface with complex geometry.
Definitions are educational summaries. Terminology can vary by source and context.
Sources
- NIST Trustworthy and Responsible AI Resource Center: Glossary — National Institute of Standards and Technology. Accessed 2026-07-20.