Machine Learning (ML) is a subset of artificial intelligence (AI) that focuses on the development of algorithms that allow computers to learn from and make predictions or decisions based on data. Rather than being explicitly programmed to perform a task, ML systems identify patterns within data and improve their performance as they are exposed to more information. This iterative process enables various applications, from predictive analytics and natural language processing to image recognition and recommendation systems. Machine learning techniques can be broadly classified into three categories: supervised learning, unsupervised learning, and reinforcement learning, each suited for different types of tasks and data.