AlexNet was an example of a convolutional neural network, or CNN. The name is derived from the graphical process of convolution, in which a series of filters are swept across an image in search of features corresponding to things the network recognizes. It’s a uniquely organic design, drawing inspiration from Hubel and Wiesel’s observation that mammalian vision occurs across numerous stages. As in nature, each layer of a CNN integrates further details into higher and higher levels of awareness until, finally, a real-world object comes fully into view.
