The What, Why, and How of Machine Learning

Machine learning underpins Sidecar's optimization technology for product listing ads, and we're not shy about making that fact known. But we understand that the term might sound a little bit sci-fi to some. However, since it's so central to what we do and who we are, we thought a simple explanation of machine learning was in order -- no computer science degree required. At its simplest, machine learning means giving computers the power to teach themselves to make decisions using historical examples, rather than explicitly programming them to perform a task. To illustrate this concept, I'm going to borrow an example from The Data Skeptic, a popular -- and highly recommended -- podcast by Kyle Polich.