How Does A Machine Learn?

The idea of machine learning sounds like a science fiction thriller or action movie where a computer takes over the world. It rarely goes well for the humans (remember I, Robot?). Machine learning is a form of artificial intelligence, and if you ask a computer scientist, you will get a highly technical answer that involves algorithms, pixels and both supervised and unsupervised learning. In simpler terms, a machine "learns" by looking for patterns among massive data loads, and when it sees one, it adjusts the program to reflect the "truth" of what it found. The more data you expose the machine to, the "smarter" it gets.