Definition
Deep Learning
Deep learning is a machine learning approach that uses multi-layer neural networks to learn complex patterns from large datasets.
Short definition
Deep learning is a branch of machine learning based on neural networks with many layers. These layers transform raw inputs into increasingly useful representations, which lets the model handle complex data such as text, images, audio and code.
How it works
A deep learning model receives examples and adjusts millions or billions of internal parameters during training. Early layers may learn simple patterns, while later layers combine them into higher-level features. In computer vision, that can mean moving from edges to shapes to objects. In language models, it can mean moving from tokens to grammar, meaning and task patterns.
Example
A medical imaging system can use deep learning to detect suspicious regions in scans. The model is not hand-coded with every possible visual rule; it learns from many labeled examples and then flags patterns that resemble cases seen during training.
Why it matters
Deep learning made many modern AI breakthroughs possible, including speech recognition, image generation and large language models. It usually needs significant data, computing power and careful evaluation, so it is powerful but not always the simplest or cheapest option.