AI and machine learning: what are the differences?
27th February 2025
80% of the movies watched* on Netflix are chosen due to personalised suggestions: but how does it know what to recommend?
At this point I expect you have heard of artificial intelligence (AI): it is the current buzz term in tech. With the ability to tackle tasks by reasoning, learning, and understanding problems in a way similar to human intelligence, and at great speed, AI is a game changer.
However, another term in the AI space you may not be as aware of is machine learning (ML). This technology is present in many aspects of day-to-day life and is often labelled as AI – but what is it and how is it different?
ML is the process of training algorithms to learn from, and make predictions or decisions based on, the data it is fed. The more data given, the more accurate the algorithm.
Let us take a real-world example to explain: the Netflix algorithm uses ML. It takes everything you watch and offers suggestions of what you might like to watch next.
By using your data, as well as comparing it to other users with similar viewing habits to you, it can tailor the selection to be to your taste. The more you watch, the more personalised the recommendations become.
The reason that ML is confused for AI so often is because ML is an approach within AI, but it is far more limited, not being able to ‘think’ in the same way AI can.
While the media and marketers will continue to refer to ML as AI as it is easier to understand and to sell, ML is just one part of the AI picture.
If you have any questions on AI, ML or the distinctions between them, please contact us HERE.