Why should I learn machine learning?

Machine learning is transforming our everyday lives and offers excellent career opportunities. It is found in fraud detection systems at financial institutions and product recommendations for online shopping brands, among many other uses.

How long does it take to learn machine learning?

Generally, you can gain a beginner-level understanding of machine learning in 3–6 months of regular study, 6–12 months for intermediate knowledge, and 1–2 years for advanced level. However, the time it takes to gain expertise in machine learning varies and depends on your learning pace, prior knowledge, and the depth of understanding you are looking for.

How hard is it to learn machine learning?

The degree to which machine learning seems difficult to learn varies from person to person, but it's worth keeping in mind that machine language courses involve mathematics, programming, and an understanding of data science that can be challenging for some people. However, it is possible for most anyone to master machine learning with time, focused effort, and effective strategies.

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What is machine learning?

Machine learning is a type of artificial intelligence (AI) that uses algorithms to do things that are typically accomplished by humans. These valuable tasks include recommending products based on past purchases, translating text from one language to another, and fraud detection.

Applications for machine learning are constantly expanding and so is the need for AI engineers and many other jobs in machine learning.

Featured Machine Learning courses and programs

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Choosing the right machine learning program for you

There are many educational paths available for a career in machine learning. It's important to choose a program that matches your goals, skills, interests, and lifestyle. Important factors to consider include:

Program content: Make sure a machine language course offers topics that relate to your preferred role.
Delivery method: Think about whether an online, in-person, or a hybrid system works best for you.
Networking opportunities: Consider whether a program delivers opportunities to interact with peers, alumni, and business contacts.
Required investment: Weigh the time and money involved with available programs to help decide which works best for you.
Your current skill levels: Be sure you have mastered the required fundamentals for any program.

Courses

To prepare yourself for most roles, you should consider a machine learning course that offers the following:

Machine learning principles
Learning paradigms (unsupervised, supervised, or reinforcement learning)
Calculus
Decision trees
Deep learning
Neural networks

Certifications

To help you stand out in the industry and validate your skills to potential employers, consider earning professional certificates and/or third-party certifications from reputable educational institutions and organizations.

Some options include:

Professional Certificate Program in Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence from MIT
Certification of Professional Achievement in Data Sciences from Columbia University
Certified Machine Learning specialty certification from Amazon

Executive education programs

To stay relevant in today's fast-moving, tech-driven economy, completing an executive education program might prove useful — especially for business leaders, tech specialists, and managers interested in learning about advanced machine learning programs.

Degrees

To succeed in the machine learning space, you may find it helpful to earn a bachelor's degree in computer science or a relevant field. Some positions may require a master's degree or even a doctorate.

Jobs in machine learning

Careers in machine learning are currently in high demand. As artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into business strategy and decision-making, there will be many career opportunities for employees with knowledge and experience with machine learning.

A career in machine learning provides many important benefits, such as:

Job security: There will always be the need for workers to guide the use of machine learning in businesses.
Growth opportunities: The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects employment for computer and information research scientists to grow by 26% from 2023 to 2033. This is much higher than the average for all occupations.
Important work: Working in machine learning provides you the opportunity to affect business decisions and make a difference.

Here are a few positions that a background in machine learning may help you qualify for, with each role's required education as well as salary data from the BLS: