On the path towards a true science of deep learning [D]

Reddit r/MachineLearning / 4/20/2026

💬 OpinionIdeas & Deep AnalysisModels & Research

Key Points

  • The author, working across industry and academia, describes a long-term effort to develop a fundamental scientific theory of machine learning grounded in scientific principles.
  • The post outlines key thinking about what it will take to establish deep learning as a more rigorous “science,” rather than relying primarily on empirical intuition.
  • It frames progress as a multi-year research program, emphasizing theory-building alongside practical advances in deep learning.
  • The author points readers to an external blog post that elaborates on the scientific method as it applies to machine learning research.

I'm a scientist with a dual affiliation in industry + academia. I've been working towards a fundamental scientific theory of machine learning for some ~7y now. Here are some thoughts on how we'll get there.

submitted by /u/dot---
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