AI Explained: A Mental Model of Neural Networks

This text delves into the concept of neural networks (NNs) and how they function, using speech recognition as an example. NNs are essentially artificial brains that enable machines to be intelligent. The author explains the components of a neural network, such as neurons and layers, and how they interact to process data. In this case, the input is audio waveform data, which is broken down into smaller chunks for processing by the NN's hidden layers. These layers help identify increasingly complex patterns in the audio, ultimately leading to the identification of words spoken. The final layer outputs a probability distribution representing the likelihood that each word was spoken. The text also emphasizes the dynamic nature of NNs and their ability to handle various inputs while providing valid outputs.