Back to glossary

What is Neural Architecture Search?

What is Neural Architecture Search?

Neural Architecture Search (NAS), an innovative realm of machine learning, marks a departure from manual model designing to automating the discovery of optimized neural networks. In essence, NAS executes the role of an architect, lending its prowess at devising neural network architectures, which can potentially outmatch human-crafted models.

Unveiling the characteristics of Neural Architecture Search:

  • Automated: NAS allots artificial intelligence the task of creating neural network architectures, providing a marked departure from traditional network design methods that hinge on human expertise.
  • Adaptability: As opposed to employing a one-size-fits-all or off-the-shelf model, NAS explores diverse network architectures with intent to devise an optimal model that is uniquely tailored to the task at hand.
  • Scalability: NAS allows the growth of the network architecture parallel to the increase in computational resources and training data, an aspect crucial for future-proof applications.
  • Balanced trade-offs: By exploring the architectural search space, NAS facilitates the discovery of models that strike an appropriate balance between accuracy, performative efficiency, and computational costs- an ongoing challenge in machine learning applications.

Implementing Neural Architecture Search

Successful implementation of NAS calls for a strategic plan, thorough understanding of organization's tasks, and assessment of solutions available. Choosing an appropriate NAS algorithm, considering data privacy, cost implications, and reproducibility are integral part of the selection process. The subsequent steps involve deployment of the selected NAS solution, model training and evaluation in the specific data context, and reiterative optimization to fine-tune the discovered architecture.

As a valuable tool contributing to the machine learning landscape, NAS has an immense potential to transform the field. Leveraging its strengths, while cautiously handling its drawbacks, can lead to generation of optimized neural network architectures appealing to a wide range of machine learning applications and contributing to future of artificial intelligence advancements.

Artificial Intelligence Master Class

Exponential Opportunities. Existential Risks. Master the AI-Driven Future.

APPLY NOW

Advantages of Neural Architecture Search

NAS enjoys growing prominence in the machine learning community due to several inherent advantages:

  • Optimization: NAS technique provides the capability to efficiently search through a vast possibility space of neural network architectures to find an optimized model, tailored to the specific problem and data.
  • Reduced human bias: By automating the architecture design process, NAS circumvents possible human biases and limitations, engendering novel structural paradigms that can potentially outperform human-conceived models.
  • Scalability: NAS algorithms adjust their scale of operations in accordance with the availability of resources. This scalability proves especially advantageous when handling complex tasks that require larger models.
  • Customization: Maintaining its focus on the task and dataset, NAS cultivates a bespoke network for each distinct challenge. This agility distinguishes it from manually designed and COTS neural networks more suited to generic applications.

Disadvantages of Neural Architecture Search

Despite numerous advantages, organizations need to assess the drawbacks of NAS:

  • Computational expense: Designing architecturally beneficial structures entails exhaustive exploration of the vast space of possible network architectures. NAS requires considerable computational resources, which could potentially limit its applicability to large organizations possessing the required computational power.
  • Limited reproducibility: Due to complex network interactions and a high degree of randomness in the architectural search, reproducing results becomes a challenge.
  • Excessive fine-tuning: The extensive fine-tuning cycles during search processes can potentially overfit the validation set, leading to optimistic evaluations that fail to generalize on unseen datasets.
  • Lack of control: The automated search process reduces the capability of humans to influence or direct the design process. This can result in obscure models that may function well but are complex and hard to interpret.

Take Action

Download Brochure

What’s in this brochure:
  • Course overview
  • Learning journey
  • Learning methodology
  • Faculty
  • Panel members
  • Benefits of the program to you and your organization
  • Admissions
  • Schedule and tuition
  • Location and logistics

Contact Us

I have a specific question.

Attend an Info Session

I would like to hear more about the program and ask questions during a live Zoom session

Sign me up!

Yes! I am excited to join.

Download Brochure