An Overview of Machine Learning

Abstract

This chapter discusses the objective and concept of machine learning. The study and computer modeling of learning processes in their multiple manifestations constitutes the subject matter of machine learning. At present, the field of machine learning is organized around three primary research foci: (1) task-oriented studies—the development and analysis of learning systems to improve performance in a predetermined set of tasks also known as the engineering approach. (2) Cognitive simulation—the investigation and computer simulation of human learning processes. (3) Theoretical analysis—the theoretical exploration of the space of possible learning methods and algorithms independent of application domain. An equally basic scientific objective of machine learning is the exploration of alternative learning mechanisms, including the discovery of different induction algorithms, the scope and limitations of certain methods, the information that must be available to the learner, the issue of coping with imperfect training data, and the creation of general techniques applicable in many task domains.