In technology, a black box refers to a component, system, or device that can be viewed solely in terms of its input and output characteristics, without any knowledge of its internal processes. This concept is widely used in various fields, including computer science, engineering, and data science. For instance, in machine learning, algorithms can be considered black boxes if the decision-making process is not interpretable by humans, even though the algorithm effectively produces results based on the provided data.
Black Box Example
For example, in a self-driving car, the algorithms that process sensor data to make driving decisions act as a black box. While the car successfully navigates and responds to the environment, the specific calculations and logic used to make those decisions may not be transparent or easily understood by users or developers.