fast.ai

<h2 id="massive-open-online-course">Massive Open Online Course</h2>
<p>The free MOOC "Practical Deep Learning for Coders" is available as recorded videos, initially taught by Howard and Thomas at the <a href="/facts/University_of_San_Francisco/AVhrEyKD">University of San Francisco</a>. In contrast to other online learning platforms such as <a href="/facts/Coursera/5Kp5AIuX">Coursera</a> or <a href="/facts/Udemy/oWQCKJqD">Udemy</a>, a certificate is not granted to those successfully finishing the course online. Only the students following the in-person classes can obtain a certificate from the University of San Francisco.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> 
</p><p>The MOOC consists of two parts, each containing seven lessons. Topics include <a href="/facts/Image_classification/Tl2Yyk66">image classification</a>, <a href="/facts/Stochastic_gradient_descent/HbcaYqQP">stochastic gradient descent</a>, <a href="/facts/Natural_language_processing/1hjMKsSN">natural language processing</a> (NLP), and various deep learning architectures such as <a href="/facts/Convolutional_neural_network/kHEdnmGU">convolutional neural networks</a> (CNNs), <a href="/facts/Recursive_neural_network/fRp3GlPJ">recursive neural networks</a> (RNNs) and <a href="/facts/Generative_adversarial_network/SGNuGrlo">generative adversarial networks</a> (GANs).
</p>
<h2 id="applications-and-alumni">Applications and alumni</h2>
<ul><li>In 2018, students of fast.ai participated in the <a href="/facts/Deep_learning_processor/ABR3Be1A">Stanford’s DAWNBench challenge</a> alongside big tech companies such as <a href="/facts/Google/GT9Sugza">Google</a> and <a href="/facts/Intel/SMF0gJJX">Intel</a>. While Google could obtain an edge in some challenges due to its highly specialized <a href="/facts/Tensor_processing_unit/aVlg0LFF">TPU</a> chips, the CIFAR-10 challenge was won by the fast.ai students, programming the fastest and cheapest algorithms.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a></li></ul>
<ul><li>As a fast.ai student, alumna <a href="/facts/Sara_Hooker/1rfpAyLf">Sara Hooker</a> created software to detect illegal deforestation. She later became a founding member of <a href="/facts/Google_AI/dG4ouT6p">Google AI</a> in <a href="/facts/Accra/wm954H5w">Accra</a>, <a href="/facts/Ghana/IkUw32Ya">Ghana</a>—the first AI research office in Africa.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a></li></ul>
<h2 id="software">Software</h2>
<p>In the fall of 2018, fast.ai released v1.0 of their free open-source library for deep learning called fastai (without a period), sitting atop <a href="/facts/PyTorch/4Gv1t13B">PyTorch</a>. <a href="/facts/Google_Cloud_Platform/lPTNk7l6">Google Cloud</a> was the first to announce its support.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> This <a href="/facts/Open-source/7X9rCdz4">open-source</a> framework is hosted on <a href="/facts/GitHub/n1hNCsc3">GitHub</a> and is licensed under the <a href="/facts/Apache_License/5AeIjas8">Apache License</a>, Version 2.0.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a>
</p>

<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>
<ul><li><a href="http://www.fast.ai">Official website</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>"Launching fast.ai". 7 Oct 2016. <a href="https://www.fast.ai/2016/10/07/fastai-launch/" target="_blank">https://www.fast.ai/2016/10/07/fastai-launch/</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>"Practical Deep Learning for Coders". KDnuggets. Dec 2016. <a href="https://www.kdnuggets.com/2016/12/deep-learning-coders-mooc-jeremy-howard.html" target="_blank">https://www.kdnuggets.com/2016/12/deep-learning-coders-mooc-jeremy-howard.html</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>"Deep Learning Certificate". University of San Francisco. 8 June 2020. <a href="https://www.usfca.edu/data-institute/certificates/deep-learning-part-one" target="_blank">https://www.usfca.edu/data-institute/certificates/deep-learning-part-one</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>"An AI speed test shows clever coders can still beat tech giants like Google and Intel". The Verge. 7 May 2018. <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/7/17316010/fast-ai-speed-test-stanford-dawnbench-google-intel" target="_blank">https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/7/17316010/fast-ai-speed-test-stanford-dawnbench-google-intel</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:5"><p>"New schemes teach the masses to build AIO". The Economist. 27 Oct 2018. <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2018/10/27/new-schemes-teach-the-masses-to-build-ai" target="_blank">https://www.economist.com/business/2018/10/27/new-schemes-teach-the-masses-to-build-ai</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:6"><p>"Fast.ai's software could radically democratize AI". ZDnet. 2 Oct 2018. <a href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/fast-ais-new-software-could-radically-democratize-ai/" target="_blank">https://www.zdnet.com/article/fast-ais-new-software-could-radically-democratize-ai/</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:7"><p>"The fastai deep learning library". GitHub. Retrieved 8 June 2018. <a href="https://github.com/fastai/fastai/" target="_blank">https://github.com/fastai/fastai/</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:8"><p>"Open Machine Learning Frameworks". Retrieved 8 June 2018. <a href="https://freeandopenmachinelearning.readthedocs.io/en/latest/catalogue.html#fastai" target="_blank">https://freeandopenmachinelearning.readthedocs.io/en/latest/catalogue.html#fastai</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

fast.ai open-in-new

fast.ai