I’ve been thinking about getting into machine learning, but honestly I feel a bit lost. A few weeks ago I tried to follow a random YouTube tutorial and ended up copying code without really understanding what was happening. It worked, but I couldn’t explain why. That was frustrating. I come from a non-technical background, so even terms like “model training” or “overfitting” sound intimidating at first. For those of you who’ve already started, what were your actual first steps? Did you focus on math, Python, or just small projects? I’d love to hear how you made it feel less overwhelming in the beginning.

Funny enough, I went through something similar when I started in AI development. What helped me was realizing that confidence isn’t about knowing everything, it’s about being comfortable learning in public. I remember reading an article on https://www.womentech.net/breaking-ai-ml-tips-tech-savvy-women-2020 that talked about staying curious and continuously upgrading your skills, especially in fast-moving areas like AI and ML. It made me see that even experienced engineers are constantly learning. I started volunteering to present small updates in team meetings. At first my voice shook, but over time it felt normal. Also, finding a community — even online — where people openly share their struggles makes a big difference. You start to see that self-doubt is common, not a sign that you don’t belong.

I’ve been seeing more and more people around me switching into AI-related fields lately. Even at my gym there’s a guy who used to work in marketing and now talks about neural networks between sets. I think it’s cool how accessible learning has become compared to ten years ago. Whatever direction you choose, the key probably isn’t rushing but staying consistent. Every new field feels confusing at first, but with time it starts to make sense.