# Tensors Explained Part 1: How AI Systems Represent Data

> Source: <https://dev.to/rijultp/tensors-explained-part-1-how-ai-systems-represent-data-mbj>
> Published: 2026-05-27 20:07:50+00:00

In this article, we will explore the concept of **tensors** in the context of machine learning.

From the perspective of someone building a neural network, tensors provide a way to store input data.

Tensors are also used to store the **weights and biases** that make up neural networks.

When inputs contain only a single value, we call it a **scalar**. In tensor terminology, this is a **0-dimensional tensor**.

When we have a list or array of values, such as `[1, 2]`

, we treat it as a **1-dimensional tensor**.

Similarly, when the input is a single image, it is often represented as a matrix in programming terms. In tensor terminology, this is a **2-dimensional tensor**.

When the input is a video, it is typically represented as a multi-dimensional structure. In tensor terminology, this is an **n-dimensional tensor**.

At this stage, it may feel like tensors are just a different way of naming things we already know.

However, tensors become much more powerful when we look at how they are used in actual machine learning systems.

We will explore their real use cases in the next

article.

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