Amazon Intros Machine Learning as a ServiceAmazon Intros Machine Learning as a Service

Amazon has launched a public cloud version of the same machine learning service it uses for its own retail store. Amazon Machine Learning requires no specialized skills on the part of the user, and allows businesses to quickly use historical data to build and deploy predictive models, the company says.

The models can be used for a variety of purposes, including detecting problematic transactions, preventing customer churn and improving customer support. Amazon Machine Learning is based on Amazon's own internal tools, generating more than 50 billion predictions weekly, Amazon says. (See Amazon Web Services Debuts Amazon Machine Learning.)

The new service integrates with Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3), Amazon Redshift and Amazon Relational Database Service to allow customers to use data they already store in the AWS Cloud, Amazon says.

Machine learning has previously been difficult, requiring specialized expertise, Andy Jassy, senior vice president, Amazon Web Services Inc. , said in an announcement Thursday that was streamed over the Internet (with some facepalm-inducing glitches -- see D'oh! Amazon Cloud Fails at Its Cloud Summit).

"It's hard work and it requires machine learning experts internally," Jassy said.

Amazon's own

Amazon Machine Learning automates the process, requiring no specialized skills from developers.