Machine learning allows us to build tools and applications that were previously beyond the reach of even the most skillful software engineer. With these new capabilities, we can build most anything we want. But how should we use them? In this talk, I describe my personal perspective on this question. Forging a positive future means tackling many important global problems simultaneously including, but not limited to: minimizing climate change, dealing with the impacts of extreme weather events, monitoring the biosphere, ensuring an adequate food supply, and achieving global consensus. Machine learning can contribute materially to each of these challenges, and I will present an overview of some of the recent research in these areas. Finally, I address the potential risks and rewards of machine learning itself, as the risks of machine learning are as great as its potential rewards.

• What are the major challenges in this area and how is NVIDIA working on solving them?

• How can Machine Learning play a pivotal role in bridging our understanding of the natural world?