30 April 2025
What is AI modeling?
Explore approaches to accelerating innovation.

What is AI modeling? It's essentially creating programs that use one or a combination of algorithms to allow computers to think, learn and predict outcomes. You can think of AI modeling as the smart machine’s brain. Much like a human brain, AI models absorb input data – numbers, texts, images, video, sound – to learn to predict outcomes or solve specific tasks without explicit instructions at every step.
This capability requires careful training on vast volumes of data. For example, machine learning (ML) is a branch of AI modeling that learns and fine-tunes its behavior using historical data. Through this iterative process, AI models become highly adept at recognizing complex patterns and nuances.
AI and modeling: The basics
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the subfield in computer science focused on creating smart machines to perform tasks that ordinarily require human intelligence – understanding language, recognizing patterns, making decisions and learning from their experience. Modeling techniques are the nuts-and-bolts process of building, training and refining mathematical algorithms – often called models – to analyze vast amounts of data to predict outcomes, make recommendations and automate decisions.
AI modeling can make sense of massive amounts of data faster and more accurately than any human team. And it’s not just about the speed; it’s about insights that humans might never uncover. Businesses serious about staying ahead are rapidly refactoring their resources to develop expertise in this field.
In this article, we’ll discuss AI modeling in detail. We’ll also define some technical terms and provide examples of applied AI modeling so you can see how they are used in business and industry to solve real-world problems and accelerate innovation.
AI modeling is driving greater innovation, productivity and human advancement. Udo Sglavo Vice President of Applied AI and Modeling R&D SAS
Getting to the technical side of modeling
There are several popular AI model types, each suited for specific problems or tasks.
Supervised learning
With this type of learning, the model is trained using labeled examples of the correct and incorrect answers. Logistical regression is commonly used for classification tasks. As well, linear regression is a basic technique most used in machine learning.
Take this example: When a credit fraud modeler wants the algorithm to identify fraudulent transactions, they feed the model transactional data that has been labeled as fraudulent or nonfraudulent. The AI model quickly learns to identify both transaction types so that it can identify suspicious transactions in real time when given live data.
Unsupervised learning
Models, such as clustering algorithms, Apriori algorithms and dimensionality reduction algorithms, are great for analyzing unlabeled data to find hidden patterns or groupings.
Marketers love these algorithms because they can analyze vast unlabeled data sets (a product catalog, thousands of customers, multiple global markets, etc.) to segment buyer personas, offer product recommendations and even craft product messaging.
Semi-supervised learning
Modelers use a combination of labeled and unlabeled data to train models. This technique significantly enhances the model's learning capabilities without the expensive, time-consuming labeling required by supervised learning.
This approach is particularly useful when labeled data is scarce because the model can learn from the limited data and then improve its training by analyzing the unlabeled data.
Reinforcement learning
In this model, AI models learn optimal actions by receiving feedback through trial and error. Widely applied in gaming, robotics and recommendation systems, reinforcement learning helps models improve decision making in dynamic and complex environments. Autonomous vehicles are an example of reinforcement learning in action.
Deep learning
Deep learning is a subset of machine learning. This specialized method mimics the human brain's handling of complex and unstructured data. Popular AI models such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are widely used for image recognition tasks, while recurrent neural networks (RNNs) and natural language processing (NLP) tackle tasks related to language and time-series predictions.
Built-from-scratch AI models versus ready-made AI models
As you can see, there are many different AI models in use today. Everything from classic machine learning to deep learning, such as deep neural networks, convolutional neural networks and recurrent neural networks.
Taking these models and moving them into production is a tedious process. According to a Gartner survey, on average, only 48% of AI projects make it to production, and it takes eight months to go from AI prototype to production.
A notable difference between built-from-scratch AI models and ready-made AI models is the success rate of getting models into production. Ready-made models are an alternative to the modeling techniques we have discussed. They can speed up innovation with or without in-house data science teams – solving the AI talent gap.
The benefits of ready-made AI models
Real-world applications of AI modeling
Businesses can't ignore AI modeling. Its tangible benefits go beyond speed and efficiency. AI handles repetitive tasks like data entry, freeing human teams to focus on more complex, strategic initiatives.
AI modeling’s unparalleled data analysis capabilities deliver insights crucial for competitive strategic planning. By automating processes and minimizing human errors, AI can significantly reduce operational costs. Finally, capabilities such as more precise targeting, optimized pricing strategies and enhanced customer experiences translate directly into increased profitability.
The real power of AI modeling shines in its application to solve real-world challenges:
- Business predictions. Companies use AI modeling to forecast sales trends, manage inventory efficiently and optimize supply chains. For instance, an AI model could predict seasonal product demand fluctuations by analyzing historical sales data and current market conditions.
- Health care innovations. AI modeling significantly impacts health care by supporting early diagnosis and providing personalized treatment strategies. For example, deep learning models can analyze medical imagery to detect anomalies faster and more accurately than traditional methods.
- Customer experience enhancements. Through NLP-powered chatbots, businesses provide instant, accurate customer service around the clock. AI models analyze customer interactions, identify preferences and then personalize communications, thereby increasing customer loyalty and satisfaction.
- Fraud and cyber-threat detection. Financial institutions use machine learning models, such as random forest algorithms, to detect and prevent fraudulent activities by recognizing patterns typical of fraud and anomalies humans might miss.
Trustworthy AI
It can be difficult to take something so complex as an AI model and convert it into information that is easily digestible and explainable for everyone involved. The ability to share what goes in and what comes out of a model is beneficial to regulatory compliance. Just another consideration for AI modeling and AI ethics.
Model cards serve as comprehensive documentation tools that provide essential insights into various aspects of models. They highlight key indicators such as accuracy, fairness and model drift – the latter referring to the decline in model performance as external conditions evolve.
Additionally, model cards encompass governance details, including the date of the last modification, contributors and responsible parties. This information is crucial for organizations to effectively manage and rectify any abnormal model performance internally.
The model usage section of these cards outlines the intended applications, identifies out-of-scope use cases and specifies limitations. These elements are particularly important as the fields of transparency and model auditing are anticipated to become regulated aspects of business operations.
Staying ahead in an evolving market
Plenty of organizations still struggle with clunky manual processes and best guesses. AI modeling is about using data to reveal patterns and make decisions faster than humans ever could. AI modeling techniques will remain relevant in a marketplace where speed, insight and adaptability are critical.
No single blueprint fits every organization. You’ll mold AI modeling to your unique challenges, data sets, data environments and risk tolerances. Along the way, you may encounter interpretability, data bias, training data limitations, talent gaps or scaling constraints.
Once past those hurdles, you’ll find AI modeling works as an inexhaustible source of insight-driven speed, efficiency and growth. All said, you’ll find the right path forward to deploy AI models that move business forward.
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