What machine-learning clustering means when preceded by a k | Algolia

Unsupervised learning, although risky due to potential inaccuracies, offers significant benefits such as removing human bias. One example of unsupervised learning is k-means clustering, which groups data points into classes based on similar characteristics without predefined categories. The algorithm minimizes the sum of distances between data points and their corresponding clusters, identifying underlying patterns and grouping similar data points together. K-means clustering is particularly advantageous due to its speed and flexibility in dividing data into clusters, as well as removing human bias from the classification process. However, it has some limitations such as determining the optimal number of clusters and potential issues with large datasets. Despite these challenges, k-means clustering remains a valuable tool for applications ranging from search to business analysis.