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Getting Started with Machine Learning for Kids

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In children’s eyes, technology can be great for entertainment, social connections, and even schoolwork. But it can be much more than that. It’s high time for the tech-savvy younger generation to learn about one of the most important branches of modern technology: machine learning.

What is Machine Learning?

According to the Oxford dictionary, machine learning is a type of artificial intelligence where computers process vast amounts of data to learn how to do tasks rather than being programmed to do them. And the MIT Technology Review describes it as algorithms that find patterns in large amounts of data. As long as data, whether numbers, images, actions, or commands, can be stored digitally, it can be used in machine learning.

Practical Applications of Machine Learning

Now, while short and straightforward, the definitions can still be challenging to grasp fully without actual examples. Machine learning techniques are everywhere-from how companies advertise to how your favorite streaming apps recommend the next show for you to binge watch. Here are some examples of machine learning in our daily lives:

  • Social Media: machine learning applications study your behavior (e.g., what you view, the accounts you interact with, and so on) on social media apps to suggest potential “friends” or accounts you may want to follow.
  • Advertising: As technology evolves, so do marketing and advertising techniques. Companies have the potential to maximize their ad spending with machine learning. Marketers can create more targeted ad campaigns by analyzing users’ behaviors, locations, and other essential data points. Doing so will allow them to get the most value for their marketing budget, whether in terms of views, engagements, or purchases.
  • Facial Recognition: This type of machine learning can help various parts of everyday life. Some facial recognition programs can be used for security purposes, from unlocking phones to verifying the identities of building visitors. Facial recognition is also used for law enforcement. It can be a critical tool for authorities to locate lost persons and even identify criminals.
  • Traffic: Having a map is one thing, but having a dynamic one that analyzes various data like congestion or accidents can make a world of difference. With machine learning, traffic management will be easier. Instead of using timers for traffic lights, city planners can use machine learning capable traffic lights to learn about traffic patterns to help reduce congestion and get everyone where they need to be on time.
  • Virtual Personal Assistants: Almost everyone with a smartphone has tried asking Siri, Alexa, or Google a question. These virtual assistants not only use natural language processing to recognize speech and commands. They also use machine learning to generate the correct responses. As suggested by the name, these assistants are learning. The more you use them, the more they know your patterns and behaviors. Through time, you’ll notice that your voice assistant of choice is getting better (and smarter) as they collect more data and experiences.

Simple Tips: How to Introduce Kids to Machine Learning

With more and more people going digital, educators and parents alike can give kids an advantage by allowing them to start early. A spark in their interest can be a seed that can grow into a hobby or a career. But explaining machine learning to a child just starting out is quite different than explaining it to someone with a tech background. So here are five tips to help you introduce machine learning to kids:

Tip 1: Use Simple Terms

Grownups tend to use big words and long sentences. Two things that kids are just not crazy about. The more you use simple terms or real-life examples, the more kids will understand. You can even use similarities between how humans and machines learn. For example, you can link machine learning to how children learn from textbooks and experiences and apply their newfound knowledge to do better when asked the same question or faced with a similar problem.

Additionally, kids can sometimes have big imaginations. It might also be essential to tell them that contrary to what the sci-fi movies are saying, machine learning is not about a bunch of robots trying to take over the human world. Instead, it’s something humans have developed. Humans are the ones in control—from feeding the data and examples that computers could learn from and, of course, programming them.

Tip 2: Make It Relevant

Getting and keeping a kid’s attention is tough work. One way to make sure your kids pay attention is to find examples or practical applications that will make machine learning relevant for them. An easy example would be how YouTube and Netflix use machine learning to help them find other shows to enjoy. For bigger kids, one relevant topic can be gaming. You can share how Super Mario Bros. or other real-time strategy games use machine-learning techniques to improve their gaming experience.

Tip 3: Level Up When You Can

There are quite a few online-based machine learning programs that both adults and kids can try. You can consider using websites that let kids teach computers to identify people’s handwriting or even recognize speech.

Once you’ve gotten your kid has tried their hand at simple machine learning, it’s only a matter of time before they seek out more information about machine learning and its practical uses. If they’re willing to learn more and even try their hand at programming, make sure to nourish that passion! You can sign them up for short courses, after-school programs, or tech camps that can continue to stoke up their interest.

Just like machine learning, the digital world is continuously evolving. The tech we know today can take on multiple forms in the coming decades or even years. Introducing kids to machine learning can set them up for success in the future. They’ll be more comfortable learning new programs. Some may even grow up to become the next leaders of the tech world.

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