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Transfer learning

As explained in Grokking Machine Learning

Transfer learning is a technique that adapts a pretrained model to a new task or dataset by continuing its training, often by modifying only some parameters.

Imagine recognizing complicated images without teaching a neural network every visual pattern from scratch. Transfer learning starts with a pretrained network, then uses new data to adjust some parameters, usually the last layer. section 10.5

A practical transfer-learning workflow is:

  • Choose a pretrained convolutional neural network such as InceptionV3, ImageNet, ResNet, or VGG. section 10.5
  • Provide data for the new image task and tweak selected parameters, commonly those in the final layer. section 10.5
  • Prefer the approach when training from scratch would be difficult, since it can work well at low computational cost. section 10.5

A new image classifier

Instead of training a complete neural network from scratch for a complicated image dataset, begin with a pretrained network and adapt its final layer to the new data. section 10.5

How Grokking Machine Learning covers it

How deep it goes
Defines pretrained-network adaptation and parameter tweaking, usually at the last layer, but does not detail the training procedure.
Examples
Uses complicated image datasets and pretrained architectures including InceptionV3, ImageNet, ResNet, and VGG.
What it assumes
Assumes familiarity with neural networks and convolutional layers while introducing the adaptation strategy directly.
What you can do after
Apply it via InceptionV3, ImageNet, ResNet, or VGG by adapting selected parameters to new image data.
How it connects
Connects pretrained networks with convolutional neural networks, fully connected layers, and computational cost.

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This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Grokking Machine Learning. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.