If you're interested in machine learning, it's hard to imagine how you will get beyond tinkering without an advanced degree. A PhD brings a depth and maturity

If you're interested in machine learning, it's hard to imagine how you will get beyond tinkering without an advanced degree. A PhD brings a depth and maturity when thinking about how to frame machine learning (statistics) problems, which I rarely have seen in people who haven't studied to literature at the PhD level. If you do decide, look for the right advisor (http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~jordan/ http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~jordan/) and try to go to a top program.