9.1 Using ML APIs for research: Pros and Cons

• Using platform ML APIs for research
  • Google, Amazon, Microsoft, H2O.ai etc. (see Kaggle)
• Pros
  • Powerful ML algorithms
  • Out of the box ML models
  • Combination with data storage
• Cons
  • Cost (but, e.g., grants for academics)
  • No replicability (algorithm = black box)
  • Dependence (e.g., Deplatforming)
    • Future viability (think of Yahoo, Myspace)
• Q: What else?