Amazon has launched a consulting programme aimed at helping consumers with machine learning in the cloud by connecting them with experts from Amazon.
The programme, called the Amazon ML Solutions Lab, helps Amazon cloud customers without extensive knowledge of machine learning find practical and beneficial uses of it for their business. It combines workshops, brainstorming sessions, and advisory professional services to help its users work through problems their businesses face by "working backwards" and then following a step-by-step process of developing machine learning-based solutions.
It works with individual businesses according to their needs. This could include sending developers on site to help a business with machine learning hands on or even sending them to the AWS headquarters in Seattle. The length of Amazon ML Solutions Lab engagement can also vary depending on the needs for the business, lasting anywhere from 3-6 months.
For companies that have more experience in machine learning, Amazon offers Amazon ML Solutions Lab Express, which is an accelerated programme lasting 4 weeks and starts with a week long intensive bootcamp hosted on site at Amazon. Amazon states, however, that this programme, which is focused on feature engineering and building models quickly, is only for businesses with high-quality data already prepared for machine learning.
"Amazon has been investing in machine learning for more than 20 years, innovating in areas such as fulfilment and logistics, personalisation and recommendations, forecasting, fraud prevention, and supply chain optimisation. The Amazon ML Solutions Lab provides you access to the same talent that built many of Amazon's machine learning-powered products and services," Vinayak Agarwal, senior product manager for AWS Deep Learning, said in a blog post.
While the Amazon ML Solutions Lab Express is limited to the US, the Amazon ML Solutions Lab is available globally.
