Machine learning is important because it gives enterprises a view of trends in customer behavior and business operational patterns, as well as supports the development of new products. Many of today's leading companies, such as Facebook, Google and Uber, make machine learning a central part of their operations. Machine learning has become a significant competitive differentiator for many companies. Classical machine learning is often categorized by how an algorithm learns to become more accurate in its predictions. There are four basic approaches: supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning and reinforcement learning.

Studying Machine Learning opens a world of opportunities to develop cutting edge applications in various areas, such as cybersecurity, image recognition, medicine, and face recognition. Machine Learning is no longer just a niche subfield of computer science but technology giants have been using it for years – Machine learning algorithms power Walmart product recommendations, surge pricing at Uber, fraud detection at top financial institutions, content that Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram display on social media feeds or Google Maps. Machine learning products are being used daily, perhaps without realizing it. The future of machine learning is already here, it's just that machine learning career is exploding now because of smart algorithms being used everywhere from email to mobile apps to marketing campaigns. If you are in search of the most in-demand and most-exciting career domains, gearing up yourself with machine learning skills is a good move now.