Simple Machine Learning

A field journal · v.01

Now publishing · Issue 08

Machine learning
in plain english.

One essay per issue. Honest about uncertainty, generous with examples, and free of ceremony.

Featured series · 5 parts

Stupid-simple ML

The easiest way to understand AI without being a total nerd. Five short essays, no equations, no jargon.

5 essays~10 min total

Start with Part 1

What AI actually is (and isn't)
Forget the sci-fi. AI is pattern-spotting, dressed in a confident voice.
2m
How a model 'learns' (the kid-with-flashcards version)
Training is just guessing, getting graded, and adjusting. A million billion times.
2m
Why training data is everything
A model is a mirror of what it was shown. Show it junk, get junk. There is no shortcut.
2m
Hallucinations: why AI lies to you, politely
The model is not lying. It is doing the only thing it knows how to do — guessing — when it should be saying 'I don't know.'
2m
How to actually use AI without losing your mind
A practical playbook. Use AI like a fast intern, not an oracle. Verify the load-bearing bits.
2m

Latest essay

★ Lead essay·April 29, 2026·1 min

Welcome to Simple Machine Learning

Why this journal exists, and what to expect from each issue.

April 22, 2026·1 min

Gradient Descent, By Hand

Working a single step of gradient descent on paper, with the dignity it deserves.

April 15, 2026·1 min

The Bias–Variance Bargain

Every model trades two kinds of error. The trick is knowing which one you're paying for.