THE AGE OF MACHINE LEARNING

Smart computers are changing our world. Are you ready for the reboot?

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Computers were invented to follow instructions – to do calculations quicker than humans can. However, their inventors knew this was just the beginning. More than 70 years ago, pioneering computer scientist Alan Turing predicted that computers would one day be able to learn from experience and solve problems that they had not been pre-programmed for. In other words, they would be able to think.

That day is now! Artificial intelligence (AI) has quietly become part of everyday life – from smart speakers that respond to your voice, to software that recommends what to watch next. In April, the UK became the first country in Europe to allow AI-assisted cars to drive on motorways. In hospitals, AI has taken over routine tasks like examining X-rays and brain scans, leaving doctors more time to spend with their patients. It’s also AI that allows social media filters to swap your face with a cat or a potato (although this probably wasn’t what Turing had in mind).

SQUARE EYES Al software sorts through more than 80 years' worth of new content uploaded to YouTube each day to find videos you'll like.