AI engineering glossary · Classical ML algorithms
What is kernel trick?
Kernel trick: A way to get the effect of mapping data into a much higher-dimensional space without computing that mapping. It replaces dot products with a kernel function that measures similarity directly, allowing curved boundaries while keeping computation manageable.
Kernel trick: an example
Two rings of points, not separable by a line in 2-D, become separable using an RBF kernel, with no explicit new coordinates computed.
Related terms
More Classical ML algorithms terms
- Laplace smoothing
- Lasso regression
- Lazy learning
- Lift
- LightGBM
- Linear discriminant analysis
- Linear regression
- Linkage criterion
Where you learn it
Kernel trick is part of the AI Engineering Program, which teaches it with notes, a hands-on lab and an exam. The first lesson is free.