Neuron Bursts Can Mimic a Famous AI Learning Strategy

Every time a human or machine learns how to get better at a task, a trail of evidence is left behind. A sequence of physical changes--to cells in a brain or to numerical values in an algorithm--underlie the improved performance. But figuring out exactly what changes to make is no small feat. It's called the credit assignment problem, in which a brain or artificial intelligence system must pinpoint which pieces in its pipeline are responsible for errors and then make the necessary changes. Put more simply: It's a blame game to find who's at fault.