Rule-based machine learning

{{Short description|AI that learns decision rules from data}}

{{Machine learning|Paradigms}}

Rule-based machine learning (RBML) is a term in computer science intended to encompass any machine learning method that identifies, learns, or evolves 'rules' to store, manipulate or apply.

{{Cite journal|last1=Bassel|first1=George W.|last2=Glaab|first2=Enrico|last3=Marquez|first3=Julietta |last4=Holdsworth |first4=Michael J. |last5=Bacardit |first5=Jaume |date=2011-09-01 |title=Functional Network Construction in Arabidopsis Using Rule-Based Machine Learning on Large-Scale Data Sets |journal=The Plant Cell |language=en |volume=23 |issue=9 |pages=3101–3116 |doi=10.1105/tpc.111.088153 |pmid=21896882 |issn=1532-298X |pmc=3203449

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{{Cite journal|last1=M.|first1=Weiss, S. |last2=N. |first2=Indurkhya |date=1995-01-01 |title=Rule-based Machine Learning Methods for Functional Prediction |url=http://jair.org/papers/paper199.html|journal=Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research |volume=3 |issue=1995 |pages=383–403 |doi=10.1613/jair.199 |arxiv=cs/9512107|bibcode=1995cs.......12107W |s2cid=1588466 }}

{{Cite web|url=http://gecco-2016.sigevo.org/index.html/Tutorials#id_Introducing%20rule-based%20machine%20learning:%20capturing%20complexity |title=GECCO 2016 {{!}} Tutorials |website=GECCO 2016 |access-date=2016-10-14

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The defining characteristic of a rule-based machine learner is the identification and utilization of a set of relational rules that collectively represent the knowledge captured by the system.

Rule-based machine learning approaches include learning classifier systems,

{{Cite journal |last1=Urbanowicz |first1=Ryan J. |last2=Moore |first2=Jason H. |date=2009-09-22 |title=Learning Classifier Systems: A Complete Introduction, Review, and Roadmap |journal=Journal of Artificial Evolution and Applications |language=en |volume=2009 |pages=1–25 |doi=10.1155/2009/736398 |issn=1687-6229 |doi-access=free }}

association rule learning,Zhang, C. and Zhang, S., 2002. [https://books.google.com/books?id=VqSoCAAAQBAJ Association rule mining: models and algorithms]. Springer-Verlag. artificial immune systems,De Castro, Leandro Nunes, and Jonathan Timmis. [https://books.google.com/books?id=aMFP7p8DtaQC&q=%22rule-based%22 Artificial immune systems: a new computational intelligence approach]. Springer Science & Business Media, 2002. and any other method that relies on a set of rules, each covering contextual knowledge.

While rule-based machine learning is conceptually a type of rule-based system, it is distinct from traditional rule-based systems, which are often hand-crafted, and other rule-based decision makers. This is because rule-based machine learning applies some form of learning algorithm such as Rough sets theoryISBN 978-0-7923-1472-1. to identify and minimise the set of features and to automatically identify useful rules, rather than a human needing to apply prior domain knowledge to manually construct rules and curate a rule set.