I hardly have to tell you that machine learning has become one of the most exciting technologies of today. Large companies such as Google, Facebook, Apple, Amazon, IBM, and many others are investing heavily in research into machine learning and its use for good reason. Even if you sometimes get the impression that machine learning is used as an empty catchphrase, it is undoubtedly not a fad. This exciting field opens up many new opportunities and is an integral part of everyday life. Think of the virtual assistants of smartphones, product recommendations for customers in online shops, the prevention of credit card fraud, spam filters in e-mail programs, the detection and diagnosis of disease symptoms.
