Deep learning
Deep learning is a kind of machine learning that uses neural networks with many layers. Each layer picks up more complex features than the one before, which is why deep learning works well on messy data such as photos, sound and language.
In one line, for a 12-year-old
Deep learning is a stack of tiny decision-makers: the first ones spot edges, the next ones spot shapes, and the last ones say "that's a cat".
An example
Photo apps that find every picture of your dog, and voice assistants that understand your accent, rely on deep learning.
Why it matters to people
Deep learning made today's AI boom possible, and Canadian researchers in Toronto and Montréal were central to it. It is also hard to explain from the inside, which matters when it is used to make decisions about people.