The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence has made machine learning (ML) methods central to modern science, technology, and industry. At the same time, the emergence of programmable quantum computers, along with the anticipation of large-scale fault-tolerant machines in the future, has generated interest in the potential of quantum machine learning (QML)—a field that explores quantum properties to enhance ML tasks. While QML is often considered a promising application for quantum computing, its practical advantages over classical methods remain an area of active research and exploration. In recent years, QML has garnered significant global attention, with researchers investigating its potential and limitations. In this chapter, we introduce the fundamentals of QML and provide an overview of recent developments and future trends in the field. We outline potential opportunities where quantum properties might offer advantages in ML tasks while also addressing the open challenges that QML faces in terms of scalability, implementation, and practical utility. We also explore the potential applications of QML in defense and security-sensitive domains. Here, researchers speculate that integrating quantum computing into ML could lead to the development of systems capable of resisting sophisticated threats, such as data manipulation and poisoning. However, realizing these possibilities requires further advancements in both quantum hardware and algorithmic design, making QML a promising yet still evolving field.