The advent of pervasive computing and ambient intelligence has opened up new possibilities for the development of intelligent systems that can adapt to the needs of their users. This paper provides a comprehensive survey of recent advancements in this field, focusing on the different techniques, tools, and applications that have been developed to leverage the benefits of pervasive computing for ambient intelligence. We discuss the various challenges and opportunities that arise when designing such systems and provide a critical evaluation of the current state-of-the-art. In particular, we examine the role of machine learning, data analytics, and context awareness in the development of intelligent systems, and we investigate the impact of these technologies on the quality of life of their users. The paper also presents a discussion on the open challenges in this field, such as ensuring user privacy, security, and trust, designing effective user interfaces, and dealing with the complexity of large-scale systems. Finally, we conclude with an outlook on the future of ambient intelligence and its potential impact on society, and we highlight some of the emerging research directions that are likely to shape the field in the coming years.