# Heuristic

> Source: https://sukruyusufkaya.com/en/glossary/sezgisel-yontem
> Updated: 2026-05-13T20:57:37.525Z
> Type: glossary
> Category: yapay-zeka-temelleri
**TLDR:** A guiding approach that may not guarantee the optimal solution but helps reach good solutions faster in practice.

<p>Heuristics are practical guides used to reduce solution cost in large and complex problems. They do not always guarantee the optimal solution, but they often deliver strong results in acceptable time. In AI history, heuristics have been widely used in search algorithms, optimization methods, and planning systems. Especially when exact solutions are too expensive, heuristic approaches provide operational efficiency instead of theoretical perfection. In real-world AI systems, that trade-off is often extremely valuable.</p>