As businesses become more and more data-driven, adopting Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies is not a choice. The applications gather information, analyze it, and derive insights that facilitate better decisions for organizations. It comes as no surprise that professionals with these skills are in demand. If you plan to capitalize on the opportunity, the best time to learn them is now. But before you dive deeper into the field, it makes sense to know what the technology is all about. Let us explain some interesting Machine Learning facts that give you the right start in this career field.
Fact #1- Data is the foundation of ML
Machine Learning is all about data, as it gathers patterns from it and gives results by analyzing it. You build applications that pass the data to the relevant algorithm. The algorithm works on it to provide actionable insights to business users. Without good information, even the most sophisticated ML algorithms cannot deliver value. So data is the beginning and the end.
Fact #2- Simple models are the best
If the complexities of ML models baffle you, there isn’t a need to worry. Surprisingly, the simplest models are the best. Machine learning trains models from data patterns, exploring a space of possible ones according to the parameters. When the parameter space is too big, you will probably end up overfitting your model over data. Ideally, stick to fewer parameters for the sake of simplicity.
Fact #3- Expertise in ML requires hard work
Learning the skill requires relentless hard work, practice, and patience. No book, course, or tutorial gives a better understanding than playing with data and concepts. You need to visualize it and dig deeper to identify the best model. In-depth knowledge of probability helps. For example, you can go through the concept of Confidence intervals explained by programmathically.com to estimate the performance of algorithms. It can help you pick the right one to analyze your data for the most reliable insights.
Fact #4- Training multiple models sets you up for success
As a beginner, it is easy to have one favorite model and rely on it. But the approach can curb development. It is better to compare the performance of different models and decide the best one suited for the task. You can even combine the best-performing models for specific tasks to achieve better outcomes. A little extra effort can help you create contextual models that work for specific problems.
Fact #5- Data transformation is the hardest part
When you just start with machine learning, you will probably believe that it is mainly about selecting and tuning algorithms. But the real task is data transformation, as you will have to invest a lot of effort and time into data cleaning and feature engineering. It entails transforming raw numbers into organized sets, which are further used to extract features representing patterns. It ensures quality in your data and makes it usable for the models.
Now that you know these facts about machine learning, your journey as a beginner will be a tad easier. Finally, you must see this technology as innovation rather than a magic bullet. The applications deliver, but only if you go the extra mile with data quality.