Why data is the new oil: What we mean when we talk about "deep learning"

Not too long ago it was often said that computer vision could not compete with the visual abilities of a one-year-old. That is no longer true: computers can now recognize objects in images about as well as most adults can, and there are computerized cars on the road that drive themselves more safely than an average sixteen-year-old could. And rather than being told how to see or drive, computers have learned from experience, following a path that nature took millions of years ago. What is fueling these advances is gushers of data. Data are the new oil. Learning algorithms are refineries that extract information from raw data; information can be used to create knowledge; knowledge leads to understanding; and understanding leads to wisdom. Welcome to the brave new world of deep learning. Deep learning is a branch of machine learning that has its roots in mathematics, computer science, and neuroscience.