What is Machine Learning?

If you think your computers were always so fast, pattern recognition and data analysis were automated from the beginning, and Google was always making recommendations then you’re wrong. The kind of computing power you experience presently is because of machine learning. 

This branch of artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the way we interact with computers and it's about to change your world even more! From Alexa playing your favorite songs to anti-virus software blocking spam emails, many little wonders we have around us are happening because of Machine learning only. 

Before you plan to go all-in in machine learning development, we recommend you dive deeper with us as we explore machine learning meaning, how it works, and the incredible ways it can shape your key workflows. 

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What is Machine Learning?

Machine Learning( ML) is a branch of Artificial Intelligence that deals with specific algorithm development that machines will use to have fully automated learning abilities. ML ensures that the said machine is capable of understanding the input data, trying to figure out the similarities, patterns, and relationships between different data sets, and then making predictions/outcomes automatically. 

Through this line of action, machine learning unfolds new data processing abilities such as Amazon recommending products based on your search history or Facebook suggesting new friends based on your existing contacts. 

ML algorithms improve performance on a specific task by learning from historical data. This data can be labeled (supervised learning) or unlabeled (unsupervised learning). The success of ML development hinges on the type of data used for the training. If data is of poor quality and is in limited quantity then machine learning algorithms will not be able to derive accurate results. 

This is why it’s crucial for businesses, planning to use ML, to use feature engineering. Through this, they can extract the relevant features from raw data and can train the machine learning models the right way. 

Many ML algorithms such as supervised learning, semi-supervised learning, and many more are used for processing the data and establishing learning from it.  

Based upon the in-focus requirements, businesses can use different types of machine learning techniques such as deep learning for machine learning tool development. 

Must Read: What is Deep Learning? 

While machine learning has caught a huge amount of attention recently, it’s not a budding concept. Its root may go back to the era of World War II with the use of the Enigma Machine- a code-breaking device. 

However, the field of machine learning took shape in the mid-20th century due to some significant developments such as: 

1. Statistical Learning Theory laid the mathematical groundwork for algorithms that could learn from data.
2. The invention of early computers supplied the required processing power necessary for training complex models.
3. The theoretical work of Alan Turning in the field of computation is considered the foundation of computer science and machine learning.
4. The slow yet steady development of computing power and machine learning models has now placed this technology at the forefront of problem-solving across numerous domains and industries. 
   
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How Machine Learning Works?

Machine learning follows a very strategic approach while using data to form a learning curve for the machines. Here is a quick breakdown of the process for you. 

Step 1- Data Collection 

Machine learning algorithms require a huge collection of data sets. This could be labeled or unlabeled data. But, you need to ensure that ample data is available because it’s the lifeblood of ML. You can collect data from different sources such as images, text, audio, and so on. 

Just make sure that collected data is of good grade, can add value to the machine learning models, and is relevant to the problem you’re trying to solve through machine learning tools.  The collected data need to be stored in a suitable format like a database or CSV file. 

Step 2- Choosing the Machine Learning Model 

When you’ve quality data with you, the next step is selecting the right kind of medicine learning models. There are many different types of machine learning models such as Linear Regression, Neural Networks, Decision Trees, and many more. 

Each model works differently and demands different types of data. So, you need to choose the machine learning models after decoding the complexity of the problem, the computational resources you’ve and the size of the data. 

Once the data is prepared, the next step is to choose a machine-learning model. There are many types of models to choose from, including linear regression, decision trees, and neural networks. The choice of model depends on the nature of your data and the problem you're trying to solve.

Step 3- Train the Model 

Once you’ve selected the ideal medicine learning model, you need to train it with the data at your disposal.  Medicine learning model training involves feeding data into the model and allowing it to adjust the internal parameters to produce near-accurate outputs. 

Step 4- Model Evolution 

Next comes the machine learning performance evolutions that involve testing the model with data that isn't part of training. 

Step 5- Adjusting Hyperparameter 

If any error or wrong data interpretation incidents come into the limelight then you need to tweak its hyperparameters to improve the result accuracy. In this process, you have to perform actions such as grid search and cross-validation. 

Step 6-  Checking Predictions 

After adjusting the hyperparameter, you need to check the model predictions by feeding new ones and using the output for decision-making.

Step 7- Model Deployment

Once everything is good then you will deploy the model by integrating it into a production environment. Here, the model will start processing the real-world data and continue giving accurate results. 

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Types of Machine Learning

Based on the specific characteristics and inherited features, there are four leading types of machine learning that we’ve explained next to you. 

Supervised Machine Learning 

In this type of machine learning, the machine uses experience or previously fed labeled data to learn. This labeled dataset will have both input and output parameters. The model learns to map the input data to the desired output, enabling it to make predictions for new, unseen data.

Suppose you’re building an email filter machine using Supervised Machine Learning then you need to train it using the pre-labelled emails marked as spammed or not spammed. With the help of this labeled data, the medicine will learn what makes an email spam. 

Whenever a new input, an email, enters into this email filter then it will use its past learning from the labelled data to decide whether the input is to be flagged as spammed. 

Supervised machine learning is then further divided into two categories: regression and classification. 

Algorithms of regression-supervised machine learning focus on learning to produce repetitive output values like the price of a mobile or the temperature of a given area. These algorithms learn how to map the input features, associated with a continual numerical value. Decision tree, Linear regression, Lasso regression, and Random Forest are some of the most widely used regression algorithm types we have. 

On the other hand, algorithms in classification-supervised machine learning learn to provide a category-wise output like the buying probability of a customer or the risk of getting blood cancer in a given group. Classification algorithms aim to learn about the mapping of input features of pre-defined classes. Some examples of classification algorithms are Support Vector Machine, Random Forest, and Naive Bayes. 

Supervised machine learning is widely used in AI development focusing on tasks such as speech recognition, medical diagnosis, fraud detection, production recommendation systems, natural processing, and many other types of applications where mapping of input data is required. 

While supervised machine learning models are highly accurate and save a great deal of time & effort while developing new models, their evident limitations such as not recognizing the unseen or unexpected patterns accurately and heavy dependence on labeled data restrict their adoption. 

Unsupervised Machine Learning 

Imagine a zookeeper who has been told to organize the animals into different enclosures, without having any labels on the animals. In that case, the zookeeper learns about the specific traits of different animals like a Giraffe has a long neck and tries to find the similarities that certain animals share. Through this understanding, the zookeeper then starts categorizing the animals. 

This is how supervised learning works. In the absence of any labels, the algorithms interpret the data, identify the patterns, and even establish the relationship with the different data sets to provide an output.  

This is further divided into two categories; clustering & association.  In clustering, the algorithm groups data having the same features and traits together by identifying the hidden patterns. Algorithms like K-Means Clustering, Mean-shift, and Principal Component Analysis work on this approach. 

Association rule learning techniques involve finding relationships between the different entities, included in an input dataset. Through this learning, it aims to identify the rules indicating the presence of one item deciding the probability for another item. 

For instance, if customers are buying bread and more like them we also buy the butter because bread and butter are mostly consumed together. Eclat, FP-Growth, and Apriori algorithms are based on this approach only. 

Unsupervised learning can help businesses group customers based on different criteria, detect anomalies, image and video compression, customer behavior analysis, and image segmentation. 

It is preferred by businesses not to have labeled data and are willing to identify the hidden patterns and various relationships between the input data. However, the absence of labeled data can lower the output accuracy and even generate unclear interpretations. 

Semi-Supervised Learning 

Suppose you’re a wildlife photographer and want to take pictures of rare birds in a vast rainforest. You’ve given a handful of pictures of some rare bird species like toucan or hummingbird for reference. You continue clicking pictures of the forest. You then use this limited labelled data to categorize the massive collection of unlabeled rainforest pictures, featuring birds. 

You will learn about the rare bird features through the labelled data and then categorize the unlabelled images. 

This is how semi-supervised learning works, which is often considered the best of both worlds, supervised and unsupervised learning. It’s ideal for businesses when having a mammoth of labelled data is a costly affair and the output needs to be as accurate as possible. 

Based on how the labelled data is used, this type of machine learning is further divided into categories such as label propagation, graph-based semi-supervised learning, co-training, self-learning, and GANs. 

Businesses seeking proactive ML development for purposes such as image classification, speech recognition, NLP, medical imaging, and recommendation systems can use this variety of machine learning. 

While its usage will help them to do a better generalization of a wide range of data, its real-time deployment is a little tricky and requires strategic planning. 

Reinforcement Machine Learning

Suppose you own a dog and you want to make it learn a specific behaviour, such as catching a ball. Now, if you follow the reinforcement machine learning approach then you will first let your dog interact with the environment, including the ball, your house, and the backyard, and learn key traits like how the ball looks, where the way out from the house, which door leads to the backyard, etc.

At first, the dog will go to a prohibited place, might hurt itself, and even bark at the ball. But, whenever the dog makes a correct move and you are given a reward, it continues performing those actions correctly. 

Through this learning, the dog will learn where to jump to catch a ball, where to bring it back, and which places to avoid getting hurt. This way, the dog has learned the action sequences required to catch a ball.

Hence, reinforcement machine learning involves:

1. An agent learns by interacting with the environment and receiving feedback (rewards or penalties) for its actions.
2. Exploration and experimentation are crucial for the agent to discover the best course of action.
3. Positive reinforcement motivates the agent to learn the desired behavior. 

Deep Q- Q-Learning, Q-Learning, and State-Action-Reward- State-Action are a few examples of reinforcement machine learning. 

Based on the type of reinforcement provided to the agent, this type of ML is divided into two categories: Positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement.  In positive reinforcement, agents are awarded whenever they learn a desired behavior so that the correct behavior is repeated once again. 

On the other hand, negative reinforcement focuses on eliminating undesired behavior by rewarding agents each time they don’t repeat the undesired behavior. 

Reinforcement machine learning is most widely used in game development, robotics, autonomous vehicles, game AI, and energy management. 

It’s a great choice to make when you want the ML algorithm to make autonomous decisions, achieve long-term results, and solve complex problems. Remember, if you wish to use it then you have to invest a lot of time and computing abilities to train the agents through reinforcement learning. Also, it demands gigantic data and high computation power to deliver desired results. 

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Difference Between Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence

As machine learning and AI are intertwined badly and even have overlapping traits, it’s obvious to use them interchangeably. But, they have distinct meanings and have many differences that we’re going to break down next for you. 

Artificial Intelligence is a broad concept that focuses on creating machines with human-like abilities. It covers different aspects such as learning, logic & reasoning, and output processing so that the machine can simulate human cognitive abilities like learning, problem-solving, and decision-making. 

Machine learning, as we explained above, is a sub-field of AI and its core focus is on creating algorithms that will help machines to learn from specific data and generate near-to-perfect outputs. 

You can consider AI as a school and ML as your English Teacher. The school aims to ensure that there is an overall development of the students and equip them with various skills and knowledge to succeed in life. This encompasses a broad range of subjects and abilities, not just English.

But, your English teacher will concentrate only on teaching you a particular skill set – mastering the English language. For this, the teacher will use various learning materials, tests, and exercises (data) to train you in grammar, vocabulary, writing, and reading comprehension.

Below table will provide you  a better clarity on AI v/s ML. 

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Top Applications of Machine Learning

Whether it’s evident or not, medical learning has become an integral part of our lives through its multiple applications. 

Below you will find some of the most commonly found machine learning applications that you might experience every day. 

Speech Recognition-  It’s the process of translating human speech into a text format. Siri and Alexa are examples of machine learning used for speed recognition. 

Speech Recognition: It's the process of translating spoken words into text. This power features like voice dictation on smartphones and virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa to understand your spoken commands.

Natural Language Processing (NLP): This refers to machines understanding and manipulating human language. For instance, machine translation allows you to type in English and get the translation displayed in another language, like Spanish.

Self-Driving Vehicles: Machine learning is crucial for training self-driving cars and scooters. Through ML, these vehicles can recognize objects, make decisions, and navigate safely in complex environments. Tesla's Autopilot is the best machine learning example in this respective domain. 

Spam Filtering: Machine learning algorithms are helping businesses and individuals to spot spam and filter it before it reaches your inbox, resulting in reduced risks of cyber security attacks. 

Social Media Content Moderation: Even wondered why Instagram marks some posts as “Inappropriate”? It’s because of medicine learning models that allow such social media platforms to detect unfitting content, flagging it for review and promoting a safer online environment.

Personalized Learning: Medicine learning in education is useful  to tailor learning experiences for each student. Education institutes have AI agents to understand student’s learning objectives and suggest learning paths accordingly. 

Cybersecurity Threat Detection: The anti-virus software and VPNs that you use on your computer use medicine learning models to analyze network traffic patterns to identify and prevent cyberattacks in real-time, protecting systems from malicious activities.

Stock Market Analysis: Machine learning in finance is useful  to analyze market trends and make more informed investment decisions. AI agents in Finance can monitor the investment habits and suggest funds for investments for specific goals. 

Must Read:  What are AI Agents? How To Build an AI Agent For Your Business?

Music and Video Recommendation Services: Streaming services such as Spotify and Netflix use machine learning to use the past content viewed or listened to by their users and make further recommendations. 

Web Search Ranking: Google and many other search engines use ML models to understand your search terms and then rank the search results according to their relevance. 

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Top 5 Machine Learning Use Cases Across Industries

From healthcare to Fintech, machine learning tools are enabling businesses to unfold new data usage possibilities and solve complex problems. Here are the top 5 real-world use cases of machine learning across the industries. 

Fraud Detection in FinTech 

70% of businesses have reported an increase in fraud losses during recent times and nearly 50 % of consumers feel that they can be a victim of fraud. In India alone, transaction frauds have jumped by 70.64% and accounted for the Rs. 2,604 fund loss between October 2023- March 2024. 

Financial institutions constantly grapple with fraudsters devising ever-more sophisticated methods to steal money. Machine learning in finance can analyze vast amounts of financial transactions in real time to identify patterns indicative of fraudulent activity. 

They can identify patterns and anomalies indicative of fraud. In addition, ML tools for the FinTech industry can even automate many aspects of fraud detection, freeing up human analysts to focus on complex cases or investigations, resulting in better efficiency. 

Must Read: AI Agents in Finance: All You Need to Know 

Recommendation Systems in Retail and E-commerce

The E-commerce industry can’t sideline the power of product recommendation as it accounts for up to 31% of revenues. However, challenges such as cold start, generic suggestions, and exposure to limited products often stop businesses from making the most of this technique. 

Machine learning in e-commerce can help businesses personalize the entire shopping experience for their different customer groups using historical data. They can review past purchases, browsing behavior, and demographic information of users and make recommendations accordingly. 

Do You Know: Industry Giants such as Amazon and Netflix can generate 35%  and 75% of their total revenue respectively only through product recommendations. 

Medical Diagnosis and Drug Discovery in Healthcare Industry 

The current stage of medical diagnosis and drug discovery is heavily impacted due to inconsistencies in diagnosis and delayed pattern recognition. 

Machine learning in healthcare can analyze medical images (X-rays, MRIs) and patient data to assist doctors in diagnosis and treatment planning. It can also be used to identify potential drug candidates by analyzing molecular structures and biological pathways.

Predictive Maintenance in the Manufacturing and Transportation Industry 

Due to the lack of prediction of potential quality concerns and operational failure, the manufacturing and transportation industry is dealing with high downtime and excessive wastage. 

With the use of medicine learning algorithms, the manufacturing & transportation industry can analyze sensor data from equipment to predict potential failures before they occur. This allows for proactive maintenance, minimizing downtime and saving costs.

Do You Know: This logistic company used ML to successfully optimize 6 million square feet of space. 

Natural Language Processing (NLP) Across Industries 

NLP techniques like machine translation, sentiment analysis, and chatbots are finding applications in various industries. For instance, every customer-centric industry can design and deploy highly responsive chatbots to answer basic customer questions. In addition, they can also use medicine learning tools to perform sentiment analysis to gauge customer satisfaction through social media posts or reviews.

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How Ampcome Can Help You Leverage ML in Your Business?

Machine learning (ML) empowers businesses to tackle intricate challenges and automate tedious calculations across various industries. By leveraging historical data, ML provides granular insights into customer preferences, operational inefficiencies, and emerging trends – all before human intervention is required.

Through its efficient machine learning development services, Ampcome can help you have modern ML applications designed for automating repetitive tasks, optimizing key workflow, and personalizing customer experience. By investing in our machine learning development services, you take a stake in strategic decision making, innovation, and gaining a competitive edge in the crowded market. 

We understand the intricacies of ML development and can tailor solutions to address your specific data challenges and performance bottlenecks. 

So, why struggle with ML development when you’ve a partner like Ampcome? 

Contact us today to experience the power of immaculate and modern machine-learning applications and learn how to use them to propel your business forward.

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FAQs

How is machine learning different from traditional programming?

Machine learning fixes its core focus on algorithms, designed to learn from the input data and provide an output. It is fast, accurate, and highly flexible. 

On the other hand, traditional programming depends on human capabilities. Humans will decide how a computer will process an action and will frame its course of action. It’s highly slow and has a high inaccuracy tendency. 

How is machine learning different from deep learning?

Machine learning and deep learning are co-related. Yet, they share some differences. For instance, ML is mainly about creating algorithms used for learning from the given data. Data can be labeled or unlabeled. But, algorithms require it to establish learning. 

Deep learning is a sub-field of machine learning that involves using artificial neural networks with many layers to process complex data like images, text, or speech. It's particularly good at finding intricate patterns.

Are machine learning and AI the same?

No; ML and AI are not the same. AI or Artificial Intelligence is a wide domain that deals with the development of machines having human-like cognitive abilities. Every technology, approach, principle, and process that deals with the development of such machines fall under AI. 

However, machine learning has a narrow approach. It mainly indicates the development of algorithms that will help a machine to learn from a given data and make further decisions on similar sorts of data. 

Based on the type of data used and process of learning used, there are different types of machine learning techniques. For instance, we have supervised learning, reinforcement learning, and unsupervised learning. Each learning type is suited for different tasks. 

Why does machine learning use GPU?

Machine learning uses GPU  or Graphics Processing Units to solve complex problems. Complex calculations require heavy computing power that standard CPUs fail to provide. GPUs have more cores, as compared to CPUs, and allow parallel processing of the massive amounts of data used in machine learning, significantly speeding up training and processing times.