Thus all the excitement around "neural networks," a breakthrough artificial intelligence technique that mimics the structure of the human brain and allows machines to learn things independently.

Tech giants are using neural networks to do some pretty impressive things. 

Microsoft is using them to make instant translation real for Skype. Google's artificial intelligence learned Atari video games and then mastered the ancient game of Go, with its AlphaGo program beating the human champion Lee Sedol 4 to 1.

The first artificial neuron was created in 1943, but it's only been in the last few years that neural networks have taken off.

Neural networks are a part of an artificial intelligence revolution that's as important as the invention of the Internet itself, says University of Washington computer scientist Pedro Domingos, author of "The Master Algorithm: How the Quest for the Ultimate Learning Machine Will Remake Our World."