Artificial Intelligence: This "umbrella" term encompasses all these areas of research. According to field experts, the definition of AI has suffered many detours, thus rendering the term nearly useless over the years. McKinsey's 2015 Report titled Disruptive technologies: Advances that will transform life, business, and the global economy suggests that about 12 disruptive technologies will create a great global impact 10 years from now. Among these 12, at least five have been determined to be related to AI and Robotics, which includes: automated "knowledge" tasks, Robotics, Internet of Things, 3D Printing technology, and self-driving cars. The total economic impact of these combined technologies has been estimated to reach between $50-99.5 trillion by 2025!

A 1969 McKinsey article claimed that computers were so dumb that they were not capable of making any decisions. In fact they said, it was human intelligence that drives the dumb machine. Alas, this claim has become a bit of a "joke" over the years, as the modern computers are gradually replacing skilled practitioners in fields across many industries such as architecture, medicine, geology, and education. Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science, and Deep Learning are pushing these changes in ways that are only just being understood. In the current scenario, many buzzwords are being employed in the evolving IT industry, especially in the various research areas around and within Data Science.