It's a common misconception that predictive analytics and machine learning are the same. While machine learning and predictive analytics can both leverage data to make future predictions, they do so in different ways.
What is machine learning? It is a methodology where algorithms perform a specific task without explicit instructions or predetermined rules, relying on patterns and inference instead to make predictions and recalibrate as needed.
Machine learning is divided into two types of tasks: supervised and unsupervised. In supervised learning, the machine learning model building process is guided by a dedicated response variable. In contrast, unsupervised learning uses all variables equally as it has no dedicated target.
What is predictive analytics? It is a category of data analytics aimed at making predictions about future outcomes based on historical data and analytics techniques. Predictive analytics uses a variety of statistical techniques (including data mining, machine learning, and predictive modeling) to understand future occurrences.
