25 Essential Machine Learning Terminologies for Beginners

Last updated by Nahush Gowda on Aug 23, 2024 at 09:52 AM | Reading time: 12 minutes

Machine learning is at the forefront owing to the rise of generative AI and the applications of AI in almost every industry. Whether it's in healthcare, finance, or entertainment, ML is at the heart of AI applications.

Machine learning is a subset of artificial intelligence (AI) that focuses on creating systems that learn from data and improve their performance over time without explicit instructions. In essence, this is what enables applications like ChatGPT to write emails, answer user queries and respond to natural language commands.

However, as exciting as this field is, it can also be overwhelming for beginners due to the sheer number of technical terms. Understanding these key machine learning terminologies is crucial for building a solid foundation.

This article explains 25 common machine learning terminologies that you should know as a beginner in this domain.

What is Machine Learning?

Machine learning is a branch of AI that uses large amounts of data and algorithms to help AI mimic the way humans learn and eventually improve accuracy and knowledge. It is just like how we humans learn about the world from newspapers, online articles, friends, family, TV, etc.

The newspapers and articles are the data that we feed on to make up our own knowledge and opinions. Similarly, ML helps GenAI applications like ChatGPT and Gemini do the same. Before we jump onto the Machine learning terminologies, it is important to understand the difference between ML and AI.

While AI is the idea of a machine or an application that can replicate human intelligence, machine learning does not exactly possess the ‘intelligence’. Machine learning teaches a machine or an application to learn from the data and provide accurate results. ML algorithms identify the patterns in data to make decisions and predictions.

Well, that is a very simplistic explanation of what ML is. If you want to deep dive into the world of machine learning, this machine learning course will help you.

Key Machine Learning Terminologies

While there are hundreds of machine learning terminologies that you will eventually learn, these are some of the fundamental terminologies that you must be aware of before going to more advanced levels.

1. Algorithm

An algorithm in machine learning is a set of mathematical instructions (or rules) that a computer follows to solve a problem. Algorithms are the core of ML models, guiding them in making predictions or decisions. Algorithms are built by human engineers that help the ML models make sense of the complex dataset.

The better the algorithm, the better is the ML model. The better the ML model, the better AI performs. Algorithms are the ultimate core of any AI application or machine. Each algorithm is suited to specific types of data and problems, making the choice of algorithm critical to a model's success.

Examples of commonly used ML algorithms include decision trees, random forest algorithm, and Naive Bayes algorithm, logistic regression, linear regression, etc.

2. Model

A model is the output generated by training an algorithm on data. It’s the actual program that can make predictions or decisions based on new data. For instance, in a spam detection system, the model would analyze incoming emails and predict whether they are spam or not.

The process of building a model involves training, where the algorithm learns from historical data, and testing, where its performance is evaluated on unseen data.

3. Training Data

Training data is the dataset used to teach the model. It includes input data (features) and, in supervised learning, corresponding correct outputs (labels). The quality and quantity of training data are crucial—poor data leads to poor models, a concept often summarized as "garbage in, garbage out."

4. Feature

Features are individual measurable properties or characteristics of the data. For example, in a house price prediction model, features could include the number of bedrooms, the size of the house, and the location. Feature engineering, the process of selecting and transforming features, is critical in machine learning as it directly impacts model accuracy.

5. Feature vector

In ML, a feature vector is a list or array of numerical values that represent an instance's characteristics or properties. Each value in the vector corresponds to a specific feature of the data.

For example, in a model predicting house prices, a feature vector could include values for the number of bedrooms, square footage, and location. The vector provides a structured way to input data into a model, allowing the algorithm to process and learn from the data.

6. Label

A label is the output the model aims to predict, used primarily in supervised learning. In a classification task like spam detection, the label would indicate whether an email is "spam" or "not spam." Understanding the difference between labeled and unlabeled data is key to choosing the right ML approach.

7. Overfitting and Underfitting

Overfitting occurs when a model learns not just the underlying pattern but also the noise in the training data, leading to poor performance on new data. Underfitting, on the other hand, happens when the model is too simple to capture the underlying pattern. Balancing these is crucial for creating balanced, robust models.

8. Supervised Learning

An important machine learning terminology, supervised learning involves training a model on labeled data, where the correct output is known. Algorithms like linear regression, decision trees, and support vector machines are commonly used in supervised learning. Applications include spam detection, image classification, and risk assessment.

9. Unsupervised Learning

In unsupervised learning, the model works with unlabeled data, discovering hidden patterns or groupings. Clustering algorithms like K-Means and hierarchical clustering are popular examples. This approach is often used for market segmentation, anomaly detection, and customer profiling.

Also read: Supervised vs Unsupervised Learning: Key Differences

10. Reinforcement Learning

Reinforcement learning involves an agent that learns by interacting with an environment and receiving feedback in the form of rewards or penalties. It’s commonly used in areas like robotics, game playing (e.g., AlphaGo), and autonomous vehicles. The agent’s goal is to maximize cumulative rewards over time.

11. Natural Language Processing (NLP)

Natural Language Processing is a branch of machine learning focused on the interaction between computers and human language. NLP enables applications like chatbots, sentiment analysis, and language translation. Techniques in NLP include tokenization, part-of-speech tagging, and named entity recognition.

12. Classification

Classification is a type of supervised learning where the model assigns a label to an input based on its features. Common examples include binary classification (e.g., spam detection) and multi-class classification (e.g., handwriting recognition). Algorithms like logistic regression, decision trees, and neural networks are often used for classification tasks.

13. Batch Learning

Batch learning refers to training a model using the entire dataset at once, as opposed to incrementally updating the model as new data arrives (online learning). This method is effective when data does not change frequently, but it can be inefficient for very large datasets or when continuous updates are needed.

14. Deep Learning

Deep learning is a subset of machine learning that uses neural networks with many layers (hence "deep") to model complex patterns in data. Deep Learning has achieved breakthroughs in fields like image recognition, speech processing, and natural language understanding. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) are some examples of deep learning architectures.

Also read: Essential Machine Learning Skills For a Successful AI Career

15. Big Data

Big data refers to datasets that are too large or complex for traditional data-processing tools to handle. In ML, big data is essential because it allows models to learn from a vast amount of information, improving their accuracy and scalability. Technologies like Hadoop and Spark are often used to manage and process Big Data in ML projects.

16. Decision Tree

A decision tree is a simple yet powerful algorithm used for both classification and regression tasks. It works by splitting the data into subsets based on feature values, creating a tree-like model of decisions. Decision trees are easy to interpret and can handle both numerical and categorical data, though they can be prone to overfitting.

17. Large Language Models (LLM)

Large language models (LLM), such as GPT-4, are deep learning models trained on vast amounts of text data to understand and generate human language. LLMs are used in a variety of NLP applications, from generating text to answering questions and summarizing content. These models have significantly advanced the field of AI and natural language understanding.

18. Cross-Validation

Cross-validation is a technique for assessing how well a model generalizes to unseen data. It involves partitioning the dataset into subsets, training the model on some subsets, and testing it on the remaining ones. K-fold cross-validation is a popular method, helping to prevent overfitting by ensuring the model performs well across different data splits.

19. Confusion Matrix

A confusion matrix is a table used to evaluate the performance of a classification model. It displays the counts of true positives, false positives, true negatives, and false negatives, helping to measure the model's accuracy, precision, and recall. This tool is invaluable for understanding where a model might be making errors.

20. Accuracy, Precision, and Recall

These metrics are vital for evaluating classification models. Accuracy measures the overall correctness of the model. Precision indicates the proportion of true positive predictions among all positive predictions, while recall shows the proportion of true positives correctly identified. Balancing these metrics is key to a reliable model.

21. Hyperparameters and Hyperparameter Tuning

Hyperparameters are configuration settings external to the model that must be set before training begins, such as the learning rate or number of layers in a neural network. Hyperparameter tuning involves finding the optimal settings to improve model performance. Techniques like grid search and random search are commonly used.

22. Neural Networks

Neural networks is an essential machine learning terminology that you will hear often. Neural networks are the foundation of deep learning. They consist of interconnected layers of neurons that process data and learn patterns.

Key components include input layers, hidden layers, output layers, and activation functions. Neural Networks are highly versatile and are used in everything from image recognition to natural language processing.

Neural networks is an essential machine learning terminology

23. Bias and Variance

The bias-variance tradeoff is a fundamental concept in ML. Bias refers to errors due to overly simplistic models, while variance refers to errors due to overly complex models. Balancing these two is crucial for developing models that generalize well to new data.

24. False Negative and False Positive

A false negative occurs when the model incorrectly predicts the absence of a condition or class when it is actually present. For example, in a medical test for a disease, if a patient who has the disease is classified as healthy, that is a false negative. False negatives can be critical, especially in applications like healthcare, where missing a positive case can have serious consequences.

A false positive occurs when the model incorrectly predicts the presence of a condition or class when it is not actually present. For instance, if a spam filter incorrectly labels a legitimate email as spam, that is a false positive. While false positives are often less harmful than false negatives, they can still be problematic, especially in scenarios like fraud detection, where a false positive could lead to unnecessary investigations.

25. Dynamic model

Unlike static models, which are trained once and do not change unless re-trained, dynamic models continuously update and improve as new data becomes available. Dynamic models are often used in environments where conditions change over time, such as financial markets or recommendation systems.

For example, an online retailer might use a dynamic model to update product recommendations based on a customer’s recent purchases. Dynamic models are powerful because they can adjust to new trends and patterns, providing more accurate and relevant predictions. However, they also require careful management to avoid issues like overfitting to short-term fluctuations.

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FAQs: Essential Machine Learning Terminologies for Beginners

Q1. What Is The Difference Between Supervised And Unsupervised Learning?

Supervised learning uses labeled data to train models with known outputs, while unsupervised learning works with unlabeled data to identify hidden patterns without predefined labels.

Q2. Why Is It Important To Understand Machine Learning Terminologies As A Beginner?

Understanding key terminologies helps beginners grasp fundamental concepts, enabling them to learn advanced topics and engage in discussions more effectively.

Q3. How Do False Positives And False Negatives Affect The Performance Of A Machine Learning Model?

False positives and false negatives lead to incorrect predictions, impacting a model's reliability, with their significance varying depending on the application.

Q4. What Role Does Feature Engineering Play In The Success Of A Machine Learning Model?

Feature engineering is the process of selecting, transforming, and creating new features from raw data to improve model performance. It is a critical step in Machine Learning because well-engineered features can make a model more accurate and efficient, leading to better predictions and decisions.

Related reads:

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25 Essential Machine Learning Terminologies for Beginners

Contents

Nahush Gowda

Attend our Free Webinar on How to Nail Your Next Technical Interview

How to Nail your next Technical Interview

Worried About Failing Tech Interviews?

Tools to Enhance Full Stack Development with AI

The Future of Data Science: Emerging Trends and Opportunities

Data-Driven Decision Making: Your Roadmap to Business Success

The Business Impact of Machine Learning: Real-world Case Studies

What is OpenAI? Everything You Need to Know

Mock Interviews for Generative AI: Essential Practice to Land Top AI Roles

Top Python Scripting Interview Questions and Answers You Should Practice

Complex SQL Interview Questions for Interview Preparation

Zoox Software Engineer Interview Questions to Crack Your Tech Interview

Rubrik Interview Questions for Software Engineers

Top Advanced SQL Interview Questions and Answers

Twilio Interview Questions

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