Skip to content
Technical GlossaryDeep Learning

Universal Approximation Theorem

A theoretical result stating that a neural network with sufficient capacity can approximate a very broad class of functions.

The Universal Approximation Theorem is one of the core theoretical foundations explaining why neural networks are such powerful representational tools. Under suitable conditions, it states that even a single-hidden-layer network can approximate many continuous functions. However, this result does not guarantee that learning will be easy or that the model will train efficiently; it only provides a framework about representational capability.