Machine learning makes its way into comic books

Is it possible to explain machine learning in a fun and simple way? Gautier Stauffer, professor at HEC Lausanne (UNIL), and his co-authors have taken up the challenge by creating a comic book that demystifies this technology.

What is machine learning? A form of artificial intelligence, machine learning allows computer systems to learn from data. To make the mechanics, features, and opportunities of this technology understandable to an informed audience of students, managers, and business leaders, professors Gautier Stauffer from HEC Lausanne and Olivier Dupouët from Kedge Business School in France decided to create their comic book titled “Surf, Sorbets, and Statistics: An Introduction to Machine Learning in Business,” illustrated by Bordeaux-based artist Sébastien Tessier, also known as Damour.

Through the adventures of an unlikely trio – an eccentric scientist, an Italian uncle who makes and sells ice cream from his food truck, and a laid-back young surfer – readers discover, with ease and humor, how machine learning can transform the business world.

Where did this original idea come from? “We wanted to think outside the box to demystify a technology often perceived as complex. The comic book avoids the pitfalls of technical jargon. It makes learning enjoyable, light, and allows everyone to immerse themselves more easily in a field that is considered technical,” explains Gautier Stauffer.

Available for free online, this comic book is aimed at an informed audience of students, managers, business leaders, and data enthusiasts.

Download or browse it here

Discover more accessible research articles at www.hecoutreach.ch