Did you know that a computer may do your grandkids’ homework for them? 

Ah yes, homework.  It’s that necessary evil that school kids have historically gotten but have hated to do.  Well, your future grandkids can breathe a sigh of relief because they will have computers do their homework for them.  What’s more, is that these computers will be able to do their homework even better than them (the kids.) This is an example of machine learning at its best.  If this interests you, read on. You ‘ll like what you read!

What is machine learning

Machine learning is similar to artificial intelligence.  An example of it in action can be witnessed in smart cars.  If you drive a smart car, your car will notice and learn your driving directions and style.  It will then alert you and stop if you have gone too far out into an intersection and are in danger of hitting another car.  In that sense, machine learning occurs whenever artificial intelligence learns using logic, common sense, reasoning, the law of probability, and algorithms to learn ‘common patterns’ in life and to learn how to respond to them favorably.  The recently popular Alexa device does this beautifully.

What career paths are there in machine learning?

If you want a good-paying and stable job, choose the machine learning engineer position.  If you are good at it, you will never be out of a job. It pays more than $146,000 a year and is currently growing year on year at 344%.  As a Machine Learning Engineer, you’ll be using various popular computer programming languages like Python and Java to test certain devices and processes to see if they are working the way they should be.  You’ll also have to have an understanding of probability, statistics, statistical analysis, and data modeling (among other skills) if you want to excel in this job.

Data scientist

This is a rewarding job because of the vast learning curve and the many challenges it presents to those who work in this field.  As a data scientist, you will be using math, science, and Engineering Skills in the form of machine learning predictive models and other advanced analytical technologies/tools to learn important insights and patterns from data.  These insights and patterns can help marketing executives align marketing campaigns with business objectives to ensure that company sales and revenue streams increase dramatically.  The information that a data scientist gleans is also valuable in positioning a company to become the ‘leader’ in its industry.

Machine learning is vast

Because machine learning pertains to the ability for computers to learn as humans do, it is a vast field in our everyday lives.  It will continue to play a vital role in society as our society becomes more and more digital and automated. This means that those who are good at the technical sciences and maths will never be out of a job, especially if they can apply the skills and knowledge they learn to different life situations!