Recently, Microsoft and Amazon allowed their voice assistants to talk to each other. This is another time Microsoft and Amazon teaming up for Artificial Intelligence and released an AI Framework.
Microsoft and Amazon on thursday announced an open source Deep Learning library named Gluon for building neural networks. This allows developers to prototype, build, train and deploy sophisticated machine learning models for the cloud, devices at the edge and mobile apps.
Gluon is a Python based library available on GitHub to download and ready to work. Gluon currently works with Amazon’s Deep Learning engine MXNet and soon it will start working with Microsoft Cognitive ToolKit. Developers build neural network with three components Data, Model and Algorithm. Algorithm train model to learn the pattern from huge amount of data. Since the data volume is huge and algorithm is complex, it takes even days or weeks to train the model to understand the data pattern.
Deep learning Engines like MXNet or Microsoft Cognitive ToolKit helps to optimize the training process. however , they require developer to write Algorithm and Model for the training process.
The Gluon framework allows developers to easily prototype and build the neural network on the fly and change the size dynamically. Also, developer can do more experiment with neural network engine and algorithm to simplify the training process.
“The potential of machine learning can only be realized if it is accessible to all developers. Today’s reality is that building and training machine learning models require a great deal of heavy lifting and specialized expertise,” said Swami Sivasubramanian, VP of Amazon AI. “We created the Gluon interface so building neural networks and training models can be as easy as building an app. We look forward to our collaboration with Microsoft on continuing to evolve the Gluon interface for developers interested in making machine learning easier to use.”
“We believe it is important for the industry to work together and pool resources to build technology that benefits the broader community,” said Eric Boyd, corporate vice president of Microsoft AI and Research. “This is why Microsoft has collaborated with AWS to create the Gluon interface and enable an open AI ecosystem where developers have freedom of choice. Machine learning has the ability to transform the way we work, interact and communicate. To make this happen we need to put the right tools in the right hands, and the Gluon interface is a step in this direction.”
The Gluon interface is open source and available today in Apache MXNet 0.11, with support for CNTK in an upcoming release. Developers can learn how to get started using Gluon with MXNet by viewing tutorials for both beginners and experts available.
