Machine Learning

Eishkaran Singh
6 min readApr 26, 2023

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This will be a series of articles dealing with basics of machine learning and providing an overview of the different types of machine learning, the key steps involved in building a machine learning model, and some of the most common algorithms used in machine learning.

Pre-requisite- Python

What is machine leaning ?

Machine learning (ML) is a subfield of artificial intelligence (AI) that provides systems with the ability to learn and improve from experience without being explicitly programmed. With the increasing amount of data being generated every day, machine learning has become a vital tool in making sense of this data and discovering useful patterns and insights.

At its core, machine learning is about developing algorithms that can automatically learn from data and make predictions or decisions based on that data. The goal of machine learning is to enable machines to learn from experience and improve their performance over time, without the need for human intervention.

Three Types of Machine Learning:

  1. Supervised Learning — In this type of learning, the model is trained on a labeled dataset, where the inputs are matched with their corresponding outputs. The aim of the model is to learn the relationship between the inputs and outputs so that it can make accurate predictions on new, unseen data.
Supervised Learning

2. Unsupervised Learning — In unsupervised learning, the model is trained on an unlabeled dataset, where the inputs are not matched with any corresponding outputs. The aim of the model is to find patterns and relationships within the data without any prior knowledge of the outputs.

Unsupervised Learning

3. Reinforcement Learning — Reinforcement learning is a type of learning where the model learns through trial and error. The model receives feedback in the form of rewards or punishments based on its actions, and it learns to make better decisions by maximizing the rewards and minimizing the punishments.

Reinforcement Learning

We will cover all the three types of machine learning one by one but first we will work towards making our base strong

You can’t make a great building with weak foundation

Steps in Building a Machine Learning Model

  1. Data Collection — The first step in building a machine learning model is to gather and preprocess the data. This involves selecting a relevant dataset and cleaning and transforming the data to make it suitable for the model. Data collection is the process of acquiring the relevant data required for training the machine learning model. This data can be acquired from various sources such as public datasets, web scraping, or from internal sources such as databases. Once the data is collected, it needs to be preprocessed to ensure that it is clean and suitable for the model. This involves removing any outliers, missing values, or duplicates from the data. It may also involve converting categorical data into numerical data, scaling the data, or reducing the dimensionality of the data.
  2. Data Preparation — Once the data is collected, it needs to be prepared for training the model. This involves splitting the data into training and testing sets and applying techniques such as feature scaling and dimensionality reduction to make the data more manageable. Data preparation is an essential step in machine learning as it ensures that the model is trained on clean and relevant data. The data is split into two sets: training set and testing set. The training set is used to train the model, while the testing set is used to evaluate the performance of the model. It is important to ensure that the data in the testing set is representative of the data in the real world. This ensures that the model’s performance on the testing set is indicative of its performance in the real world. Feature scaling is a technique used to normalize the data. It involves scaling the data so that it has a mean of zero and a standard deviation of one. This ensures that all the features contribute equally to the model and prevents the model from being biased towards certain features. Dimensionality reduction is a technique used to reduce the number of features in the dataset. This is done to reduce the complexity of the model and to prevent overfitting. Overfitting is a condition where the model is trained to fit the training data too closely and may not perform well on new, unseen data.
  3. Model Selection — After the data is preprocessed, the next step is to select a suitable model that can learn from the data. This involves choosing an algorithm that is appropriate for the type of problem you are trying to solve and tuning its parameters to optimize its performance. Model selection is a crucial step in machine learning. It involves selecting the most appropriate algorithm for the type of problem you are trying to solve. There are various algorithms available for different types of problems such as regression, classification, and clustering. Once the algorithm is selected, its parameters need to be tuned to optimize its performance. This involves selecting the best values for the parameters that result in the best performance on the testing set. This is typically done using techniques such as cross-validation or grid search.
  4. Model Training — Once the model is selected, it needs to be trained on the training data. The aim of the training process is to optimize the model’s parameters so that it can make accurate predictions on new, unseen data. Model training is the process of training the model on the training data. During the training process, the model’s parameters are optimized to minimize the error between the predictions and the actual values. This is done using techniques such as gradient descent or stochastic gradient descent. The training process may take several iterations before the model’s parameters are optimized. It is important to monitor the training process to ensure that the model is not overfitting the training data.
  5. Model Evaluation — After the model is trained, it needs to be evaluated on the testing data to see how well it performs. This involves calculating various performance metrics such as accuracy, precision, and recall, and comparing them to the metrics of other models. It is essential to evaluate the model’s performance on the testing set and to compare it with other models to determine the best model for deployment. The evaluation process can also be used to identify areas where the model needs improvement.
  6. Model Deployment — Once the model is trained and evaluated, it needs to be deployed into a production environment. This involves integrating the model into an application or system and making it available for use by end-users. Model deployment is a crucial step in the machine learning process as it involves making the model available for use in the real world. The deployment process involves integrating the model into a production environment and testing it to ensure that it works as expected. It is essential to monitor the model’s performance after deployment to ensure that it continues to perform well. The monitoring process involves collecting data from the system and evaluating the model’s performance periodically. If the model’s performance deteriorates, it may need to be retrained or improved.

Conclusion-

Building a machine learning model involves several key steps, including data collection, data preparation, model selection, model training, model evaluation, and model deployment. Each step is essential to the success of the model, and it is essential to ensure that each step is executed correctly. By following these steps, you can build a machine learning model that is accurate, reliable, and suitable for deployment in the real world.

Stay tuned for further knowledge on types of machine learning :)

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