Machine learning could create more tech opportunities for women

Machine learning, the artificial intelligence technology behind Tesla's self-driving cars and Amazon's Alexa, has great potential to put big data to work. But the growing field may have another bonus: providing new pathways for women to get into tech. "Not everyone has to have that PhD in computer science," senior machine learning recruiter at Microsoft Amanda Papp mentioned to me in conversation at the International Machine Learning Conference in New York. "We have folks that have more physics backgrounds or biomathematics or permutational biology. As machine learning teams grow, it could lead to more job opportunity at tech companies for women with majors in physical science, biology, and math.