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Intro to Natural Language Processing

This presentation will begin with a brief introduction into the field of Natural Language Processing. We will begin with the basics: how can we represent text in a way that our computers understand? What are the nuances of language we want to capture and model computationally, and in a more general sense what is NLP and how does it fit within the field of machine learning and data science? We will consider how is it used in business and what sort of questions can be answered through NLP. The purpose of these examples are accessible and simple practices that relate to business problems. These are common procedures that are found in a wide variety of contexts for which NLP can aid in problem solving. This presentation will be digestible for a wide range of audiences while providing a foundation into the field of natural language processing. The goal of this presentation is for everyone to walk away with a deeper understanding of the field and a basic understanding of how to approach NLP problems. It is time to demystify NLP and make some of these deeper concepts accessible to a larger audience. Bridging the gap between those who rely on this technology and the people who build it is paramount to the success of any business project, and the aim of this presentation is to build that understanding.