What Is Machine Learning, and How Does It Work? Here's a Short Video Primer

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October 05, 2021

Dear Reader, Machine learning is key to astonishing advances in artificial intelligence. But what does the term "machine learning" actually mean? Check out the latest episode of our Decoded series to find out.

Sophie Bushwick, Associate Editor, Technology @sophiebushwick

Artificial Intelligence What Is Machine Learning, and How Does It Work? Here's a Short Video Primer Deep learning, neural networks, imitation games—what does any of this have to do with teaching computers to "learn"? By Michael Tabb,Jeffery DelViscio,Andrea Gawrylewski

Privacy How Facebook Hinders Misinformation Research The platform strictly limits and controls data access, which stymies scientists By Laura Edelson,Damon McCoy

Exercise Big Data, Questionable Benefits and My Girlfriend's Magic Ring Wearable devices that track our health may do more harm than good By John Horgan

Computing An Unsung Female Pioneer of Computer Simulation A mid-20th-century computer experiment created a new field of science—and programmer Mary Tsingou Menzel is finally being given credit for her role in making it happen By Virginia Grant

Animals Save the Right Whales by Cutting through the Wrong Noise New noise-cutting tech could pinpoint North Atlantic right whales and other species By Sam Jones

Engineering Winged Microchips Glide like Tree Seeds The tiny sensors could gather and transmit environmental data as they drift through the air By Nikk Ogasa

Electronics All Small Electronics Should Have the Same Charging Port, New E.U. Rule Says In a bid to reduce waste, a proposed regulation would require phones and other small electronics to switch to USB-C By Sophie Bushwick

Privacy Social Security Numbers Aren't Secure: What Should We Use Instead? The answer is not as simple as replacing each nine-digit number with a longer one By Sophie Bushwick

Transportation 'Self-Driving' Cars Begin to Emerge from a Cloud of Hype Developers try to overcome a multitude of technical challenges before vehicles drive on their own By Steven E. Shladover

FROM THE STORE Scientific American Health & Medicine, Volume 3, Issue 5

QUOTE OF THE DAY "The businessman, Dauren Musa, claims ownership of Burya. This was the second orbiter built as part of the Soviet Buran program, which aimed to produce a fleet of space shuttle-like vehicles four decades ago...Musa, however, does not simply want to give the vehicle back to Russia. In September, reports emerged that he would only return Burya to Russia in exchange for the skull of the last Kazakh Khan, a man named Kenesary Kasymov." Eric Berger, Ars Technica

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FROM THE ARCHIVE Artificial Intelligence: The Gap between Promise and Practice A true AI revolution can't happen without a reengineering of how business organizations operate By Martin Reeves,Mihnea Moldoveanu | September 2017

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