Advanced AI and ML - Mod 4 and 5 problems

This document outlines an advanced-level academic course focused on modern Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning techniques, bridging strong theoretical foundations with hands-on implementation. The course is structured to move beyond classical ML and into state-of-the-art deep learning paradigms, emphasizing both conceptual clarity and real-world applicability. Key focus areas include advanced supervised and unsupervised learning, neural networks and deep learning architectures, and probabilistic and optimization-based models. The syllabus also highlights contemporary topics such as representation learning, generative models, reinforcement learning concepts, and model evaluation strategies, ensuring alignment with current industry and research trends. From a delivery standpoint, the course balances mathematical intuition, algorithmic understanding, and practical experimentation, often supported by programming tools and frameworks. Assessment components are designed to test not just rote learning but analytical thinking, model design, and problem-solving skills. Overall, this course is positioned as a capstone-style AI/ML offering, aimed at preparing students for research, advanced projects, and industry-grade AI development, while building the strategic depth required to work on complex, data-driven systems.