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Paul J. Werbos
PaulWerbos-IJCNNseattle1991-07-08.jpg
Paul Werbos at the International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN) in Seattle on 8 July 1991.
Born (1947-09-04) September 4, 1947 (age 77)
Nationality American
Alma mater Harvard University
Known for Backpropagation
Awards IEEE Neural Network Pioneer Award (1995)
IEEE Frank Rosenblatt Award (2022)
Scientific career
Fields Social science
Machine Learning
Thesis Beyond Regression: New Tools for Prediction and Analysis in the Behavioral Sciences (1974)
Doctoral advisor Karl Deutsch
Other academic advisors Yu-Chi Ho

Paul John Werbos (born September 4, 1947) is an American scientist. He is known for his important work in machine learning. This field teaches computers to learn from data.

Werbos helped create ways to train artificial neural networks. These are computer systems that work a bit like the human brain. He is especially famous for discovering a method called backpropagation.

Paul Werbos: A Pioneer in AI

Paul Werbos was born in 1947. He is an American social scientist. This means he studies how people and societies work. He is also a pioneer in machine learning. This field is all about teaching computers to learn.

What is Backpropagation?

In 1974, Paul Werbos wrote his university paper. In it, he first described a process called backpropagation. This method is super important for training artificial neural networks.

Imagine a computer trying to learn something. If it makes a mistake, backpropagation helps it figure out where it went wrong. It sends the "error" backward through the network. This helps the computer adjust and learn to do better next time.

Werbos also helped develop recurrent neural networks. These are special types of AI. They are good at remembering past information. This makes them useful for things like understanding language.

His Work and Awards

Paul Werbos was one of the first leaders of the International Neural Network Society (INNS). This is a group for people who work with neural networks.

In 1995, he received the IEEE Neural Network Pioneer Award. This award recognized his discovery of backpropagation. It also honored his work on other ways AI can learn. One of these is called Adaptive Dynamic Programming.

Later Interests

Besides his work in AI, Werbos has other interests. He has written about quantum mechanics. This is a part of physics that studies tiny particles.

He also thinks about big questions. These include how consciousness works. He also explores the basic rules of physics. He is interested in human potential too.

Working for the Government

Paul Werbos worked for the National Science Foundation for many years. This is a U.S. government agency. It supports new research in science and engineering. He worked there until 2015.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Paul Werbos para niños

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