I've developed a couple of chatbots using Azure OpenAI, leveraging its documented solutions and APIs. The tools available make it straightforward to implement machine learning solutions. However, there are challenges, such as hallucinations and security issues, but overall, it works well and is quite fast, allowing for the development of interesting projects.
The main issue is identifying a solid business case. There are many exciting use cases, and we have done numerous proofs of concept, prototyping, and piloting, which generated a lot of excitement. However, determining which business case to implement, especially when it competes against other applications, becomes challenging.
Improvement in integration is crucial, and it'll be interesting to see how it develops, especially with SAP's move towards cloud-based solutions like SAP Rise and its collaboration with hyper scalers like AWS. Integrating SAP with hyperscaler machine learning solutions could simplify operations, although SAP's environment is complex. SAP has initiated deals with AWS for this purpose, but I'm not as familiar with Microsoft Azure Machine Learning Studio's involvement.
We started exploring Azure Machine Learning Studio about three years ago. We conducted POCs with it, but very few projects made it to production. After that, our company shifted to AWS. We did several POCs there, too, but none went into production. So, my experience with Azure Machine Learning Studio and AWS is mostly on the POC and experimentation side, without actually deploying any solutions into production.
The technical support is very good. We receive regular calls and have a key account assigned to our company because we are a large client. This makes it easy to get the information and help we need. However, for smaller companies that do not have a key account executive assigned, it might be a bit more difficult. Overall, the experience with the tool's technical support has been very positive.
Microsoft takes an application-based approach with Azure Machine Learning Studio. It started as an application development company and moved into the cloud. On the other hand, AWS is built up from bits and bytes, which is a different approach. AWS offers many ways to accomplish the same tasks, which can be initially confusing. They are working to make it more application-oriented. Microsoft focuses more on solving business problems by first building application solutions, with technology supporting those solutions.
Working with clients who prefer AWS for their hyperscaling needs, such as hosting SAP systems on the AWS cloud, aligns better with AWS products than using another hyperscaler like Microsoft Azure Machine Learning Studio. That's the advantage of choosing AWS—it offers high hyperscale capabilities.
AWS is recommended for companies that have strategically decided to prioritize security and are considering cloud providers like AWS. Initially, the main concern was security. Once security concerns are addressed, the next challenge is how well the various services integrate and work together. AWS can be a suitable choice if a company has determined that it needs flexibility and a wide range of services. Developing solutions with AWS took significant time for the company I work with.
I would rate the product a nine out of ten. Compared to AWS SageMaker Studio, it is easier to use, especially when handling data and working with Python. AWS is a bit tougher because it relies heavily on containerization, which can be tricky for organizations due to security or cost issues.
I don't know much about MLOps, especially the full circle, which includes monitoring and observability. From an experimentation point of view, the tool and AWS are good, but I'd rate Azure slightly higher because it is simpler. You don't need to understand various underlying services as much as you do with AWS. This difference is due to Microsoft's top-down design approach, coming from their application background.