An interdisciplinary field concerned with the interpretation of data. For example, the sounds of breaking glass and running feet near a greenhouse might be interpreted as vandalism. With supervised learning the interpretation is informed by a training sample (see neural net) and generally takes the form of ensemble learning wherein the final outcome is reached algorithmically using information from many different models of the data. Examples are bagging, boosting, and the random forest.
In unsupervised learning the aim is to find underlying patterns in the data using techniques such as cluster analysis, the EM algorithm, factor analysis, graphical models, hidden Markov models, multiple regression models, and principal components analysis. See also classification tree.
A key feature is the intention that, whichever approach is used, the accuracy of the computer algorithm will improve over time (the ‘machine’ will ‘learn’) as a result of feedback concerning previous accuracy.