Machine learning is a type of artificial intelligence that allows machines to learn from data without being explicitly programmed. It uses algorithms to analyze large amounts of data and recognize patterns to make predictions or decisions without being programmed with rules-based logic. Machine learning has many important applications, including self-driving cars, online recommendations, fraud detection, and helping virtual assistants perform tasks. It has the potential to change the world by allowing tasks to be done more quickly and efficiently while gleaning insights in real-time. However, machines are still limited compared to human intelligence, though the combination of artificial and human intelligence promises accurate results.