Machine Learning & AI

A fellow SU student asked me about the difference between machine learning and artificial intelligence last night, and I thought I would summarize my answer for the record, in case other people are wondering, or might wish to correct me.

1. Machine learning is about solving small problems to within reasonable tolerances. Artificial intelligence is about trying to solve big problems (or all problems at once).
2. Machine learning tends to be handle numbers, while artificial intelligence tends to handle symbols or words.
3. Machine learning algorithms tend to give you little insight into how they work, while artificial intelligence systems can often be queried about their “train of thought.”
4. Machine learning techniques, especially in recent years, can often be justified by mathematical proofs. Artificial intelligence schemes generally cannot.