How are neural networks inspired by the human brain?

The answer

Artificial neural networks are loosely inspired by biological brains: they consist of interconnected 'neurons' (mathematical functions) organized in layers that process information by adjusting weighted connections. However, the resemblance is superficial - biological neurons communicate via electrochemical signals and have roughly 100 trillion synapses, while artificial networks use simple matrix multiplication. Deep learning uses many hidden layers to learn increasingly abstract features: early layers might detect edges, middle layers shapes, and final layers complex concepts like faces or objects.