
Fundamentals of Active Inference
Principles, Algorithms, and Applications of the Free Energy Principle for Engineers
Sanjeev V. Namjoshi(Author)
MIT Press
Published on 17. March 2026
Book
Hardback
644 pages
978-0-262-05095-1 (ISBN)
Description
A comprehensive, up-to-date introduction to active inference and the free energy principle for an engineering-focused audience.
Active inference, which uses machine learning to model brain function and behavior, emerged from decades of cross-disciplinary research in computational neuroscience, resulting in a vast literature but no unifying treatment. Filling this gap, Sanjeev Namjoshi provides comprehensive coverage of the foundational material needed to understand and navigate this fast-moving field from first principles. Using a simple, conversational style free of proofs, lemmas, and theorems, Namjoshi brings together theory and technical material in one self-contained text. The book begins with an explanation of the general statistical framework used in active inference models that describes the relationship between artificial agents and their environments. It then introduces fundamental concepts in machine learning and statistics and connects them to the active inference perspective. Featuring worked examples, simulations, and detailed walkthroughs of concepts, this user-friendly text aims to expand the readership of active inference to an engineering-focused audience.
Active inference, which uses machine learning to model brain function and behavior, emerged from decades of cross-disciplinary research in computational neuroscience, resulting in a vast literature but no unifying treatment. Filling this gap, Sanjeev Namjoshi provides comprehensive coverage of the foundational material needed to understand and navigate this fast-moving field from first principles. Using a simple, conversational style free of proofs, lemmas, and theorems, Namjoshi brings together theory and technical material in one self-contained text. The book begins with an explanation of the general statistical framework used in active inference models that describes the relationship between artificial agents and their environments. It then introduces fundamental concepts in machine learning and statistics and connects them to the active inference perspective. Featuring worked examples, simulations, and detailed walkthroughs of concepts, this user-friendly text aims to expand the readership of active inference to an engineering-focused audience.
- Provides a one-stop-shop for understanding the foundations and applications of active inference and the free energy principle
- Makes a complex, interdisciplinary subject accessible to students and professionals beyond the neurosciences
- Covers discrete and continuous state-space formulations of active inference as well as state-of-the-art extensions to base active inference methods
- Features extensive appendices and supplemental resources
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge (Massachusetts)
United States
Publishing group
MIT Press Ltd
Illustrations
213 COLOR ILLUS., 24 BLACK AND WHITE ILLUS
Dimensions
Height: 254 mm
Width: 203 mm
Weight
567 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-262-05095-1 (9780262050951)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Sanjeev V. Namjoshi
Fundamentals of Active Inference
Principles, Algorithms, and Applications of the Free Energy Principle for Engineers
E-Book
03/2026
MIT Press
€191.99
Available for download
Person
Sanjeev V. Namjoshi is a Machine Learning Engineer at VERSES.AI. Over more than a decade in academia and industry, he performed research in bioinformatics and computational neuroscience as well as lead teams to build machine learning–based software.