In an innovative intersection of traditional spreadsheet software and cutting-edge artificial intelligence, developers have created a comprehensive collection of AI models implemented entirely within Microsoft Excel. This unique approach demonstrates how complex neural networks can be broken down and understood at their fundamental mathematical level.
Making AI Tangible Through Spreadsheets
The project presents an extensive range of AI implementations, from basic concepts like Softmax and LeakyReLU to advanced architectures including Transformers and LSTM networks. What makes this approach particularly valuable is its ability to make AI concepts more accessible and transparent. As one community member notes:
NN computations -- in the main -- are high school Maths. Architectures are a topology governing chains of high school Maths. This is so much the case that the building blocks can neatly be expressed in a spreadsheet.
Basic Implementations:
- Softmax
- LeakyReLU
- Temperature
- Multi Layer Perceptron (MLP)
Advanced Implementations:
- Transformer architectures
- LSTM and Extended LSTM
- Residual Networks
- Self-Attention mechanisms
- Mamba
- AlphaFold
Upcoming Features:
- GAN
- VAE
- U-Net
- CLIP
Educational Value and Mechanical Sympathy
The Excel implementation serves as more than just a technical curiosity. It provides an invaluable educational tool for understanding the inner workings of AI models. Unlike traditional code implementations where calculations happen behind the scenes, spreadsheet implementations require explicit spatial organization of computations. This transparency helps developers and students develop mechanical sympathy - a deeper understanding of how these systems actually work at a mathematical level.
Beyond Basic Neural Networks
The project's scope is ambitious, covering not just basic neural network concepts but also including cutting-edge models like Mamba and AlphaFold. Future additions promise to include even more advanced architectures such as Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and CLIP. This comprehensive approach demonstrates that even the most sophisticated AI architectures can be broken down into understandable components using basic spreadsheet operations.
The initiative joins other notable efforts in making complex computing concepts accessible through unexpected platforms, including computer vision basics in Excel and even fully functional computers simulated in Minecraft, showing a growing trend in using familiar tools to demystify advanced technology concepts.
Reference: ai-by-hand-excel