Machine learning at Harvard: when neuroscience and computer science converge

When you open Netflix, a list of recommended movies pops up. When you listen to a song on Pandora, the site plays a stream of similar songs that it thinks you would like. After buying something on Amazon, the website will show products that you will likely buy next. How do all of these companies predict what you want next? They all use complex soft ware that allows companies to guess what a user will want next based on previous choices.Th is gives computers the ability to learn without being specifically programmed. In computer science, it’s is called machine learning, and it is a rapidly expanding field which could likely lead not only to better Netflix recommendations, but to truly artificial intelligence.