What is Machine Learning?

[AstonJ]

How would you explain what Machine Learning is to a newbie, perhaps from the perspective of an Elixir user?

_{Please note the aim of threads like this is for you to explain things in your own words. Please see this thread for details (videos/links to further reading are also welcome though!)}

[joey_the_snake]

Fancy math techniques to infer generalized patterns from specific examples.

(tongue in cheek…kind of :P):
In the workplace it means focusing on being good at predicting examples you already know, reporting success and collecting $$$.