***** apologies for multiple posting ****

Dear Colleagues,

We are running a special issue on "When Natural Language Processing Meets Machine Learning— Opportunities, Challenges and Solutions" in journal Computers (ISSN 2073-431X, https://www.mdpi.com/journal/computers ). Dr. Lu Bai from Ulster University, Belfast BT15 1ED, UK, Prof. Dr. Huiru Zheng from Ulster University, Belfast BT15 1ED, UK, and Dr. Zhibao Wang from Northeast Petroleum University, Daqing 163318, China are editing this special issue. We are writing to invite you to contribute a paper to be published in *open access* form for this Special Issue.

The combination of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning (ML) has led to many advancements in the field of artificial intelligence, enabling computers to understand and analyse human language. NLP focuses on the interactions between human language and computers, while ML provides algorithms and techniques to make predictions and automate tasks based on data. The opportunities presented by this combination include improved text classification, sentiment analysis, machine translation, and question-answering systems. However, the integration of NLP and ML still faces several challenges, such as the need for large amounts of annotated data for training, handling the complexity and variability of human language, and ensuring the ethical and fair use of AI systems. To overcome these challenges, NLP and ML researchers are exploring innovative solutions such as transfer learning, semi-supervised learning, and unsupervised learning methods, as well as developing techniques to handle unstructured and diverse data. Additionally, there is a growing emphasis on ensuring the accountability, transparency, and ethical use of AI systems. For more details, please visit the special issue website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/computers/special_issues/549S2G1BUP

The manuscript submission deadline is *31 December 2023*.

You could send your manuscript earlier or up until the deadline. Papers will be reviewed upon receipt and published on an ongoing basis. Extended conference papers are also welcome. They should contain at least 50% of new material, e.g., in the form of technical extensions, more in-depth evaluations, or additional use cases.

Computers (http://www.mdpi.com/journal/computers) is a fully open access journal of computer science, published quarterly online by MDPI, Switzerland. It is covered by the Scopus (Elsevier, 2018 CiteScore: 3.7), ESCI (Web of Science), INSPEC and DBLP.Manuscripts are peer-reviewed and a first decision provided to authors approximately *16.5* days after submission; acceptance to publication is undertaken in *3.8* days.

For further details on the submission process, please see the instructions for authors at the journal website https://www.mdpi.com/journal/computers/instructions. In the hope that this invitation receives your favorable consideration, we look forward to our future collaboration. a Dr. Lu Bai from Ulster University, Belfast BT15 1ED, UK Prof. Dr. Huiru Zheng from Ulster University, Belfast BT15 1ED, UK Dr. Zhibao Wang from Northeast Petroleum University, Daqing 163318, China

-- Mr. Blink Yu Managing Editor E-Mail: blink.yu@mdpi.com Skype: live:c91693ac8277e1f0