What is machine learning and artificial intelligence?

The information revolution of recent decades has seen a dramatic leap in the volume and complexity of the big data being collected. Effective information processing and analysis are becoming ever-more critical for dealing with these volumes. Artificial intelligence is currently a core activity of almost any major company – including Amazon, Google, Apple, Facebook, and numerous startups in Israel and worldwide.

This course concerns the theoretical and algorithmic foundations of artificial intelligence and machine learning. The course will provide tools and techniques for effective big data storage and processing (such as distributed storage and cloud processing), and cover fields of applied knowledge such as computer vision and natural language processing, where AI applications can currently achieve near-human results.