Data Science, Machine Learning: Main Developments in 2017 and Key Trends in 2018

Among main themes were AI and Deep Learning - both real progress and hype, Machine Learning, Security, Quantum Computing, AlphaGo Zero, and more. In 2017 we saw Big Data give way to AI at center stage of the technology hype cycle. This excessive media and practitioner attention on AI included positive news (increasingly powerful machine learning algorithms and AI applications in numerous industries, including automotive, medical imaging, security, customer service, entertainment, financial services) and negative news (threats of machines taking our jobs and taking over our world). We also witnessed a growth in value-producing innovations around data, including greater use of APIs, as-a-Service offerings, data science platforms, deep learning, and cloud machine learning services from the major providers. Specialized applications of data, machine learning, and AI included machine intelligence, prescriptive analytics, journey sciences, behavior analytics, and IoT.