Is machine learning the next commodity?

Chances are, you're already hip-deep in machine-learning applications. It's how Google Photo organizes those pictures from your vacation in Spain. It's how Facebook suggests tags for the pictures you took at last week's soccer match. It's how the cars of nearly every major automaker can help you avoid unsafe lane changes. Machine learning – which enables a computer to learn without new programming – is exploding in its ability to handle highly complex tasks.