Definition
Plain language
Training a model on easier examples first and gradually working up to the hard ones, the way a class builds from basics.
As stated in the literature
A training strategy that orders or reweights examples by difficulty over the course of training; the curriculum-sampling variant adaptively shifts practice toward tasks the current model is currently failing, with 'hard' defined relative to the model's present ability so the target moves as it improves.
Also called: curriculum sampling
Why it matters: Ordering practice from easy to hard, and focusing on what the model is currently failing, can make training faster and more effective than throwing everything at it at once.
For example, a math tutor model might first practice single-digit addition and only move on to long division once it reliably gets the easy problems right.
Heard on the show
“The other is curriculum sampling, which is the most human piece of the lot.”Episode 189 — Why Phone Agents Ace the Test and Crash on Your Actual Phone