Artificial intelligence helps optimize production processes and thus save money. However, small and medium-sized companies often lack the expertise to use this future technology. They can collect the necessary data, but fail to analyze it. Large cloud providers can help, because they offer simple digital tools that process large data sets and provide AI solutions. Experts speak of “machine learning as a service platform”, which enables any company to use AI to develop models that, for example, automatically detect faulty work pieces.

But which platform is suitable for which task? The Stuttgart-based Fraunhofer Institutes for Production Engineering and Automation and for Work Management and Organization compared the approaches of the four largest providers –AWS, Google, IBM, and Microsoft – and found that the solutions from all providers show strengths and do not require in-depth specialist knowledge. Of course, there are some differences. Some platforms are more intuitive than others are. And some AI models only run on the provider's cloud while others can be exported and installed on a company's own servers.

The study “Cloud-Based AI Platforms – Opportunities and Limits of Services for Machine Learning as a Service” lays out which platforms are suitable for specific applications. Click here to learn more (German only).