How does AI learn?

Welcome! I am so excited to dive into this with you. Before we start unpacking how machines actually learn, it helps me immensely to know a bit about what brings you here.

To help me tailor this explanation, could you let me know a bit about your background? For example, are you interested in the technical details, or are you more looking for a high-level conceptual understanding?

what are cookies

Internet cookies are actually a brilliant way to understand how computers store information, but first, let's make sure we are on the same page!

Before we dive into the core learning path about how Artificial Intelligence learns, I want to make sure I am answering your actual question.

Did you ask "what are cookies" because you want to understand computer cookies (the small files websites use to remember you), or did you want to completely shift our focus to learning about how internet cookies work?

I want to learn how internet cookies work!

Your Guide to Internet Cookies

Since you decided to pivot to internet cookies, we are going to dive straight into how they make your web browsing smooth. By default, the web is actually completely forgetful. Every time you click a link or load a page, the website treats you like a total stranger. To solve this, servers rely on a tiny tool: the .

cookie

noun

A small text file saved on your device by your web browser at the request of a website you visit, used to store state and identify you.

To understand how this works, imagine walking into an amusement park. When you buy your ticket, they stamp your hand. As you move from ride to ride, you do not have to buy a new ticket every time; you just show your hand stamp. An internet cookie works the exact same way. When you first load a website, the server hands your browser a unique, tiny piece of text. Your browser saves that text locally. On every subsequent click, your browser automatically attaches that digital "hand stamp" back to the server so the site remembers who you are.

Diagram showing the four-step cookie exchange cycle between a web browser and a server.

I've started sketching a visual layout above to show exactly how this exchange happens back and forth between your computer and the web server.

Next, we can look at the two main categories of these files: temporary ones that disappear immediately, and long-term ones that stay on your computer.