Definition
Classification is an artificial intelligence technique used to categorize data into predefined groups or classes. It involves training a model on labeled examples to learn patterns that distinguish between these classes, enabling it to assign new, unseen data points to the appropriate category. This process is crucial for organizing vast amounts of information, automating decision-making, and enhancing the efficiency of various AI applications. For instance, spam filters use classification to identify and separate unwanted emails from legitimate ones based on learned characteristics. While similar to clustering, which groups data without prior labels, classification requires explicit target categories for training. This concept is frequently assessed in AI and responsible AI certifications, as well as in cybersecurity domains like CompTIA Security+ and CySA+.