Google released its TensorFlow machine learning engine as a free / open source library. It’s the core of a software used by the company for services such as Google Now and Google Photo. It was originally developed by the Google Brain team, the deep learning project started in 2011 to address issues about artificial intelligence and neural networks.

Machine learning is one of the evolutions of the studies on artificial intelligence because it aims to develop algorithms that allow a machine to learn on its own. In extremely simple words, analyzing the data it accumulates in the course of time, the machine must be able to recognize better and better patterns and significant elements.

Basically, the idea is to create software that mimics humans cognitive processes. To do this, engineers implement algorithms that are the result of many studies in various disciplines that are trying to provide explanations in terms of processes to human learning.

In 2011, Google created its first machine learning system called DistBelief but it had several limitations. TensorFlow is the second generation of Google’s machine learning systems that goes far beyond the previous one in terms of speed but also for its scalability and application.

Despite the progress and the use of TensorFlow in various company’s services, this type of system still has much room for improvement. Anyone who works in information technology knows many examples of free software used by anyone who uses a computer, sometimes without even knowing it. There are software of this kind developed by large communities with the collaboration of big companies and independent developers that have become open standards. Google’s decision goes in that direction.

Now anyone can go on TensorFlow official website, get the documentation, download the source code available on GitHub and join the development community for this system. The Apache License 2.0 is one of the “freest” in the field of free software so if you wanted you could even create your own version of the software.

In the machine learning field and in the artificial intelligence one in general there are continued progress so it’s impossible to say how the TensorFlow project will evolve. Given Google’s involvement, it’s certainly one to watch.