As an entrepreneur and technologist, Machine Learning presents a slew of new opportunities and challenges that are important to understand and explore. This article is the first in a series devoted to exploring the possibilities of using Machine Learning for new design patterns, experiences, and solutions.

Machine Learning  is a layer that sits on top of your data and smartens it up. By that I mean, it makes data more insightful, actionable and even predictive. As a result, businesses are becoming more efficient.

The possibilities effectively using Machine Learning are endless. It can help companies solve problems, streamline processes and optimize user experiences. At Smashing Boxes, we have even used it to create art.

Who is Machine Learning Affecting and How?

Machine Learning is creating industry related work while also opening the door to make some careers such as data analytics, marketing, and even some hospital services obsolete. I can see it completely changing coding since a lot of complex problems are better suited to a hybrid approach.

Google is a great example of a company that is gaining value from machine learning. It is extensively used in Google Assistant and more broadly in Android 9 (Pie), which provides suggestions and eases Android phone use.

Environmental companies are using Machine Learning to gather information on electricity usage patterns in certain areas. They are then sharing this insight with customers and showing how their usage compares to neighbors. In finance, AI trained stock traders are looking to machine learning to manage ETFs and other portfolios.

Machine Learning as an Artist

At Smashing Boxes, we have used machine learning to generate art. Djarvis is an open source initiative we created to test the hypothesis that user-generated background art produces higher conversion rates.

It uses Deep Q Learning to drive conversions through subtle background shifts. You can check out the code on GitHub, or meet Djarvis here.

Recommended Resources

There are a lot of online courses focused on machine learning and technology companies like Google are sharing educational content to help drive adoption. See below for some of my recommended resources.

   
• What is Machine Learning (TechEmerge article)
   
• The Real-World Benefits of Machine Learning in Healthcare (Health Catalyst article)
   
• Adam Geitgey’s Machine Learning Is Fun (eight-part blog series)
   
• Google’s Introduction to Machine Learning (course)
   
• TensorFlow, A great open source machine learning framework for anyone looking to explore themselves.

Upcoming Panel Discussion

I don’t know everything about ML and I want to learn more. So, we are bringing Triangle Machine Learning thought leaders, experts, and scholars together for a Next Matters Most panel discussion on Wednesday, October 24 at 6:00 pm. The panel will be moderated by Ken Wood, who will join experts from Dude Solutions, Tanjo, Validic & Unspecified in sharing their experiences and engaging attendees in an interactive evening session.

The panel will examine how ML is affecting today’s businesses (and people) and look at where it is headed next. To get details and register to attend, please visit the event page on Meetup. I hope to see you there.

Nick Jordan is the CEO of Smashing Boxes, a company he founded in 2010 to help companies create disruptive software solutions that impact the world.