Understanding Machine Learning

For about a century, writers and filmmakers dreamt of machines having their own mind and thoughts. It began with invading aliens. More recently, in I, Robot, featuring Will Smith, android robots served humans. One of the robots, Sonny, was able to think on its own, have emotions, and even dream. This 2004 movie was my first experience with artificial intelligence (AI) that did not involve aliens. Twenty years on, that science fiction movie might become a reality very soon. We are in a period where the difference between the imaginary and the real world is becoming blurry. Technology can now learn and improvise on its own. In some ways, it is chilling to think of a future in which we are not in complete control. However, the reality is that we are building and improving this technology, because the true path to achieving unparalleled productivity, top notch quality, and scales of economy is through artificial intelligence and machine learning.