Concept dictionary
Algorithm
An algorithm is a defined procedure or set of steps for transforming inputs into outputs or solving a class of problems.
- Review state
- Reviewed in POC
- Freshness
- Current
- Version
- 2
Also called
- Algorithm
Remember it this wayAn algorithm is a procedure the computer follows.
In plain language
An algorithm tells a computer how to carry out a procedure. Some algorithms contain fixed rules; others are used to train or run learned models.
Why it matters
Calling every automated decision AI hides important differences. Teams should ask whether behavior comes from explicit rules, learned parameters, application logic, or a combination.
Example
A scheduling algorithm sorts available appointments, applies eligibility rules, and returns the earliest valid options.
Common misconception
An algorithm is not automatically intelligent, unbiased, or learned from data. Simple sorting and arithmetic procedures are algorithms too.
Related terms
Sources
- NIST CSRC Glossary — AlgorithmNIST source-linked definition of an algorithm as a clearly specified computational process or set of rules producing a prescribed result.
Learn more
- Compare computational steps with the operational framing in [[process|Process]].