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What is Machine Learning?

Updated: Dec 30, 2021

In 1952 a man named Arthur Samuel came up with the term machine learning and transformed the way we think about technology. Machine Learning is used to create some of the new and advanced technology we have today. So what is machine learning? And what impacts will it have on the world? Today I will be talking about what machine learning is, how machine learning is used to create AI, and what impacts it will have on the transportation industry.


Machine Learning is a way of finding patterns in data. Let’s say you wanted a machine-learning algorithm to detect whether or not somebody is wearing a hat. To do this you would feed hundreds or thousands of pictures of people wearing hats and not wearing hats. Maybe also some pictures of things that look like hats but aren’t hats. From all this data you can help your machine learning algorithm refine its ability to detect whether or not someone has a hat on. This makes it so that the more data you have, the better your machine learning model is. With too little data, machine learning models aren’t going to be very good. This brings a lot of value to having more data for companies using machine learning in their product.


How is machine learning used to create AI? Well, first of all, what is AI? AI, short for Artificial Intelligence, is a way for technology to “learn” this means they are able to get better at things or learn new things without it being coded directly. An example is Alexa and Rhomba. Alexa is only activated when you say the word “Alexa”. At first, it wasn’t even able to recognize any words, but after being fed lots and lote of data of different people saying Alexa at different speeds, accents, and pitches, Alexa is able to activate whenever you say “Alexa”. Alexa is also improving, because every time you say “Alexa”, it is added to the data and is therefore making Alexa better and better anytime someone says Alexa.


Tesla is a car company with the goal of using machine learning to create self-driving cars. This will be made possible by collecting all the data from the multiple cameras and sensors on the car. One thing that will be needed is the ability to stop at stop signs. So, you would need a lot of pictures of stop signs from different angles, some that are a little broken, perhaps even knocked over stop signs. If multiple different car companies have the same goal of making a self-driving car, ultimately the one who wins will be the one with more data. This applies to pretty much any industry using Machine Learning. With the technology of machine learning and artificial intelligence, it seems like we are on the path to self-driving cars perhaps even in the near future!


Today we discussed what machine learning is, how machine learning is used to create AI and what impacts it may have on the transportation industry. Machine learning was a huge breakthrough and allowed us to think about how machines can refine their ability to do certain tasks. It is already creating new possibilities in the transportation industry and is spreading everywhere. On every turn of the corner, lying in your very pocket, it influences almost every life in astounding ways we might not even realize. What other things could we do with machine learning? And how will that affect our day to day life?


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