Edward Rothberg is CEO and Co-Founder of Gurobi Optimization, which produces the world's fastest mathematical optimization solver. This is a question that -- as the CEO of a mathematical optimization software company -- I get asked all the time. Although it seems like a simple question, it's actually quite difficult to come up with a concise, coherent answer. Indeed, mathematical optimization and machine learning are two tools that at first glance -- like scissors and pliers -- may seem to have a lot in common. When you look closely at their fundamental features and actual applications, however, you'll see some important differences.