Understanding Machine Learning: From Theory to Algorithms

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1107057132 ISBN 13: 9781107057135

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2014

Machine learning is one of the fastest growing areas of computer science, with far-reaching applications. The aim of this textbook is to introduce machine learning, and the algorithmic paradigms it offers, in a principled way. The book provides an extensive theoretical account of the fundamental ideas underlying machine learning and the mathematical derivations that transform these principles into practical algorithms. Following a presentation of the basics of the field, the book covers a wide array of central topics that have not been addressed by previous textbooks. These include a discussion of the computational complexity of learning and the concepts of convexity and stability; important algorithmic paradigms including stochastic gradient descent, neural networks, and structured output learning; and emerging theoretical concepts such as the PAC-Bayes approach and compression-based bounds. Designed for an advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate course, the text makes the fundamentals and algorithms of machine learning accessible to students and non-expert readers in statistics, computer science, mathematics, and engineering.

Book Description:

Machine learning makes use of computer programs to discover meaningful patters in complex data. It is one of the fastest growing areas of computer science, with far-reaching applications. This book explains the principles behind the automated learning approach and the considerations underlying its usage. The authors explain the "hows" and "whys" of the most important machine-learning algorithms, as well as their inherent strengths and weaknesses, making the field accessible to students and practitioners in computer science, statistics, and engineering.

About the Author:

Shai Shalev-Shwartz is an Associate Professor at the School of Computer Science and Engineering at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.