Associative memory
Updated: 01/31/2023 by Computer Hope
Frequently used in neural networks, associative memory is computer hardware that retrieves data based on only a small, indicative sample. Traditional memory stores data at a specific address and "recalls" that data later if the address is specified. Instead of an address, associative memory recalls data if a small portion of the data itself is specified.
An example is the famous quote: "We have nothing to fear, __________ itself." It is possible for us to recall the entire phrase because we recognize the entire quote from only a part of it. Associative memory allows computers to perform a similar kind of "recollection."