I've talked a lot about GPUs and their value in data science and AI work, but let's look at the numbers. In this article I learned about recently, various servers equipped with state-of-the-art graphics cards are tested for certain common AI-related tasks. If it piques your interest, you can check out the actual server leasing options Hostkey offers. More information on that, here or in the corresponding page of this site. Cheers!

Just like other pieces of hardware, graphic cards continuously evolve, becoming more efficient and more powerful. This constant evolution is partly due to the need for more computing power, whatever the form it can take. Graphic cards are no exception, and lately, NVIDIA has come to dominate this technology scene. This month, a new set of graphic cards by this company (the GeForce RTX 30 series) is making its debut. Naturally, this is bound to have ripple effects in data science, among other fields. In this article, we'll look at just that and see how you can benefit from this new development.

Graphic cards have been used in cloud computing successfully and other machines (e.g., regular PCs). The idea is to use their GPUs for crunching the numbers, instead of just standard CPUs, like those found on a typical computer. Although a GPU is part of a graphics card and designed to handle graphics data, it can be leveraged to handle complex mathematical calculations in various data science models. Particularly AI-related models, such as deep learning networks, have a lot to benefit from GPUs for various reasons. Not only are they fast and efficient (i.e., not consuming much power), but also they are inexpensive and can setups using them scale up very well. So, if you want to train that deep learning network quickly and without costing the moon, GPUs are your best option.

The new GPU servers based on the new NVIDIA graphics card can do this task even better. Featuring speeds up to twice as high as those of the previous generation cards (i.e., RTX 20), they are genuinely efficient. Additionally, they feature more memory (up to 24 GB GDDR6X, which is more than twice as much as the previous generation) and a different architecture altogether (Ampere vs. Turing previously). All this translates into a better experience for the user, particularly if that user has high graphics card demands. As more and more people use graphics cards in their AI-related work, these cards' manufacturers try to address this requirement in their new products. Of course, not all of them succeed, but those that do are big successes. Perhaps that's why NVIDIA has become a name you'd hear not only among gamers but also among data scientists and AI professionals.

Hostkey is one of those companies that have figured out the edge such state-of-the-art graphics cards can offer in cloud computing. That's why it boasts such GPU-powered servers among the various services it offers. Geared mostly towards data scientists, Hostkey has various packages available, many of which involve GPU servers. What's more, lately, it has started to offer servers with one of the latest NVIDIA cards on them (GeForce RTX 3080), which we expect to see released next week. Not only that, but it has a raffle for a free one-month subscription to this service, involving such a GPU server. Check out the company's website for more information. Cheers!

It may seem surprising that a page like this would exist on this blog. After all, this is a blog on data science and A.I. Well, regardless of our field, we all need to write from time to time, be it for a blog, a report, or even the documentation that accompanies our work. Since writing in a grammatically correct way, void of typos doesn't come naturally to most of us, an online service like Grammarly can come in handy.

I was recommended this service about a year back by a fellow writer. Although my texts were pretty decent, I found that I'd still make some mistakes from time to time, or build sentences that weren't easy to follow. So, I took up the suggestion and started using Grammarly for some of my articles. The result in terms of engagement was evident from the very beginning. As a result, I've been using Grammarly ever since. At the same time, it's now part of my pipeline when it comes to publishing articles on this blog.

So, when I promote this service, it's out of my empirical understanding of its value and an appreciation of the tech behind it. For example, did you know that it uses deep learning and natural language processing (NLP) on the back-end? It also evaluates text based on different styles and objectives, giving you an overall score, all while pinpointing errors and points of improvement. For each one of these mistakes, it provides suggestions of how you can correct them and a rationale so that you learn from them. What more can you ask for?

I invite you to try it out on your browser using this affiliate link and if you see merit in it, register for the paid version. Using this link, you can also contribute to this ad-free blog by helping cover some of its expenses. Cheers!

In a previous article we talked about the value of data modeling and how it is related to data science as a field. Now let’s look at some great ways to learn more about this field.

Specifically, Technics Publications offers a few classes/workshops on data modeling this Autumn:

• Data Modeling Master Class (October 19-23)
• Data Modeling Boot Camp (October 26-30)
• Advanced Data Modeling Workshop (December 7-10)

What’s more, you can get a 20% discount on them, if you use the coupon code DSML. You can use the same code for most of the books available on that site. Check it out!

Being an author has many benefits, some of which I’ve mentioned in a previous article. After all, an author (particularly a technical author) is more than just a writer. The former has undergone the scrutiny of the editing process, usually undertaken by professionals, while a writer may or may not have done the same. Also, an author has seen a writing project to its completion and has gotten a publisher to put his or her stamp of approval on that manuscript, before making it available to a larger audience. This raises the stakes significantly and adds a great deal of gravity to the book at hand.

Being an author is its own reward (even though there are other tangible rewards to it too, such as the royalties checks every few months!). However, there is a benefit that is much less obvious although it is particularly useful. Namely, an author can appreciate other authors more and learn from them. This is something that I have come to learn since my first book, yet this appreciation has reached new heights since then. This is especially the case when it comes to veteran authors who have developed more than one book.

All this leads to an urge to read more books and get more out of them. This is due to the value an author puts into these books. Instead of just a collection of words and ideas, he views a book as a sophisticated structure comprising of many layers. Even simple things like graphics take a new meaning. Of course, much of this detailed view of a book is a bit technical but the appreciation that this extra attention contributes to is something that lingers for long after the book is read.

Nevertheless, you don't need to be an author to have the same appreciation towards other people's books. This is something that grows the more you practice it and can evolve into a sense of discernment distinguishing books worth having on your bookshelf from those that you are better off leaving on the store! At the very least this ability can help you save time and money since it can help you focus on those books that have the most to offer to you.

In my experience, Technics Publications has such books worth keeping close to you, particularly if you are interested in data-related topics. This includes data science but also other disciplines like data modeling, data governance, etc. There is even a book on Blockchain, which I found very educational when I was looking into this technology, which goes beyond its cryptocurrency applications. Anyway, since good books come at a higher cost, you may want to take advantage of a special promo the publisher is doing, which gives you a 20% discount for all books, except the DMBOK ones. To get this discount, just use the DSML coupon code at the checkout (see image below).

Note that this coupon code applies to virtual classes offered by Technics Publications (i.e. the virtual training courses in the ASK series). This, however, is a topic for another article. Cheers!

Hi everyone. Since these days I explore a different avenue for data science education, I've put together another webinar that's just 3 weeks away (May 18th). If you are interested in AI, be it as a data science professional or a stakeholder in data science projects, this is something that can add value to you. Also, you'll have a chance to ask me questions directly and if the time allows, even have a short discussion on this topic.

Note that due to the success of previous webinars in the Technics Publications platforms, the price of each webinar has risen. However, this upcoming webinar, which was originally designed as a talk for an international conference in Germany, is still at the very accessible price of $14.99. Feel free to check it out here and spread the word to friends or colleagues. You can also learn about the other webinars this platform offers through the corresponding web page. Cheers!

These days I didn't have a chance to prepare an article for my blog. Between helping out a friend of mine and preparing for my webinar this Thursday, I didn't have the headspace to write anything. Nevertheless, one of the articles I wrote for my friend's initiative, related to mentoring, is now available on Medium. Feel free to check it out!

As for the webinar, it's about the data science mindset, a topic I talked about on all of my books, particularly the Data Science Mindset, Methodologies, and Misconceptions one. At the time of this writing, there are still some spots available for the webinars, so if you are interested, feel free to register for it here.

On another note, my latest book is almost ready for the review stage so I'll be working on that come Friday. Stay tuned for more details in the weeks to come...

That's all for now. I hope you have a great week. Stay healthy and positive!

With more and more people getting into data science and AI these days, certain aspects of the field are inevitably over-emphasized while others are neglected. Naturally, those providing the corresponding know-how are not professional educators, even if they are competent practitioners and very knowledgeable people. As a result, a lot of emphasis is given to the technical aspects, such as math and programming related skills, data visualization, etc. What about domain knowledge though? Where does that fit in the whole picture?

Domain knowledge is all that knowledge that is specific to the domain data science or AI is applied on. If you are in the finance industry, it involves economics theory as well as how certain econometric indexes come into play. In the epidemiology sector, it involves some knowledge as to how viruses come about, how they propagate, and their effects on the organisms they exploit. Naturally, even if domain knowledge is specialized, it may play an important role in many cases. How much exactly depends on the problem at hand as well as how deep the data scientist or AI practitioner wants to go into the subject.

Domain knowledge may also include certain business-related aspects that also factor in data science work. Understanding the role of the different individuals who participate in a project is very important, especially if you are tackling a problem that is too complex for data professionals alone. Oftentimes, in projects like this, subject matter experts (SMEs) are utilized and as a data scientist or AI professional you need to liaise with them. This is not always easy as there is limited common ground that can be used as a frame of reference. That's where some general-purpose business knowledge comes in handy.

Naturally, incorporating domain knowledge in a data science project is a challenge in and of itself. Even if you do have this non-technical knowledge, you need to find ways to include it in the project organically, adding value to your analysis. That's why certain questions, particularly high-level questions that the stakeholders may want to be answered, are very important. Pairing these questions with other, more low-level questions that have to do with the data at hand, is crucial. Part of being a holistic, well-rounded data science / AI professional involves being able to accomplish this.

Of course, exploring this vast topic in a single or even multiple blog posts isn’t practical. Besides, how much can someone go into depth about this subject without getting difficult to read, especially if you are accessing this blog site via a mobile device? For this purpose, my co-author and I have gathered all the material we have accumulated on this topic and put it in a more refined form, namely a technical book. We are now at the final stages of this book, which is titled “Data Scientist Bedside Manner” and is published by Technics Publications. The book should be available before the end of the season. Stay tuned for more details...

Webinars have been a valuable educational resource for years now, but only recently has the potential of this technology been valued so much. This is largely due to the Covid-19 situation that has made conventional conferences a no-no. Also, the low cost of webinars, coupled with the ecological advantage they have over their physical counterparts, makes webinars a great alternative.

At a time when video-based content is in abundance, it's easy to find something to watch and potentially educate yourself with. However, if you want quality content and value your time more than the ease of accessibility of the stuff available for free, it's worth exploring the webinar option. Besides, nowadays the technology is more affordable than ever before, making it a high ROI endeavor. As a bonus, you get to ask the presenter questions and do a bit of networking too.

How does all this fit with data science though and why is it part of this blog? Well, although webinars are good in general, they are particularly useful in data science as the latter is a hot topic. Because it's such a popular subject, data science has attracted all sorts of opportunists who brand themselves as data scientists just to make a quick buck. These people tend to create all sorts of content that is low veracity information at best (and a scam at worst). Since discerning between what's legitimate content and what's just click-bait can sometimes be difficult (these con artists have become pretty good at what they do), it makes sense to pursue reputable sources for this video content. One such source is the Technics Publications platform, which has recently started providing its own video content in the form of webinars. Although most of these webinars are on data modeling, a couple of them are on data science topics (ahem). Feel free to check them out!

Disclaimer: I have a direct monetary benefit in promoting these data science webinars. However, I do so after ensuring I put a lot of work in preparing them, the same amount of work I’d put in preparing for a physical conference, like Customer Identity World and Data Modeling Zone. The only difference is the medium through which this content is delivered.

What’s a Transductive Model?
A transductive model is a predictive analytics model that makes use of distances or similarities. Contrary to inference models that make use of induction and deduction to make their predictions, transductive models tend to be direct. Oftentimes, they don’t even have a training phase in the sense that the model “learns” as it performs its predictions on the testing set. Transductive models are generally under the machine learning umbrella and so far they have always been opaque (black boxes).

What’s Transparency in a Predictive Analytics Model?
Transparency is an umbrella term for anything that lends itself to a clear understanding of how it makes its predictions and/or how to interpret its results. Statistical models boast transparency since they are simple enough to understand and explain (but not simplistic). Transparency is valued greatly particularly when it comes to business decisions that use the outputs of a predictive model. For example, if you decide to let an employee go, you want to be able to explain why, be it to your manager, to your team, or the employee himself.

Transparent kNN?
Transparent kNN sounds like an oxymoron, partly because the basic algorithm itself is a moron. It's very hard to think of a simpler and more basic algorithm in machine learning. This, however, hasn't stopped people from using it again and again due to the high speed it exhibits, particularly in smaller datasets. Still, kNN has been a black box so far, despite its many variants, some of which are ingenious indeed.

Lately, I've been experimenting with distances and on how they can be broken down into their fundamental components. As a result, I managed to develop a method for a distance metric that is transparent by design. By employing this same metric on the kNN model, and by applying some tweaks in various parts of it, the transparent version of kNN came about.

In particular, this transparent kNN model yields not only its predictions about the data at hand but also a confidence metric (akin to a probability score for each one of its predictions) and a weight matrix consisting of the weight each feature has in each one of its predictions. Naturally, as kNN is a model used in both classification and regression, all of the above are available in either one of its modalities. On top of that, the system can identify what modality to use based on the target variable of the training set.

What’s Next?
For now, I’ll probably continue with other, more useful matters, such as feature fusion. After all, just like most machine learning models, kNN is at the mercy of the features it is given. If I were in academic research, I’d probably write a series of papers on this topic, but as I work solo on these endeavors, I need to prioritize. However, for anyone interested in learning more about this, I’m happy to reply to any queries through this blog. Cheers!