AI Application Programming

One of the challenges in learning AI are the foundational requirements in mathematics. This book provides an excellent introduction to AI, where the "hacker" or hobbyist can sit-down and be writing simple AI applications in the matter of minutes. If your looking for a practical hands-on AI book I would start here.

All main directions of AI (Neural Networks, Genetic Algorithms, Ant Colony Optimization, Adaptive Resonance Theory, Artificial Life and many more) are covered in concise and clear manner. What makes this book outstanding is that application examples which follow theoretic material are considered in greater detail; all applications of AI techniques presented in this book are very well selected and are all insightful. This book is also very well organized. Short introduction presents an insightful position on the issue; the intro is followed by application example where explanation of issues continues on practical matter. Algorithms for all topics are written very clearly, and the code is transparent. In summary, this book is excellent introduction to AI which not only clearly identifies important features of various AI techniques and develops ideas clearly, but also effectively supports it with excellent examples.

I enjoyed working through this text, but not without some re-visiting of my calculus classes and trigonometry brush-ups.All in all a very good book, and also a great Graduate level reference for the inner workings of actual Artificial Intelligence algorithms.If you are well prepared, this book is to the point, and well worth the read. Prepare for a visit to College-level Physics theorems, as many algorithms given require a working knowledge of the advanced principles of the science.Hope this helps-

Re the comments below, I contact the publisher on the Internet and ask if they had a erratum sheet. In less than a day, a copy was sent to me, and they also have those sheets onsite for most of their publications. Additionally, a second edition was released in October which corrected the identifiable errors. A class act in my opinion.