Traditional software engineering relies on explicit rules, but what happens when those rules cannot keep up with constantly changing patterns? Imagine trying to detect spam emails with hard-coded rules; spammers would quickly adapt, making your filters obsolete. This fundamental limitation of rule-based systems led to the development of Machine Learning.
In this lesson, you will understand what makes Machine Learning different from traditional programming, explore the core components that every ML system needs, and see real-world examples of how ML solves problems that would be impossible with conventional approaches. By the end, you will have a clear mental model of how ML works and when to apply it, setting the foundation for understanding the types of machine learning you will explore in the next lesson.