Training data is the key input to machine learning (ML), and having the right quality and quantity of  data sets is important to get the accurate results. The larger the training data available for ML algorithm, it will help model to perceive the diverse types of objects making easier to recognize  when used in real-life predictions. 

But the question here is, how will you decide how much of training is enough for your machine learning. As insufficient data will affect your model prediction accuracy while more than enough data can give best results but can you manage the big data or huge quantity of datasets and it also required deep learning or more complex way to fed such data into algorithms.

Actually, there are many factors decide how much training data is required for machine learning like your model complexity, machine learning algorithms and data training or validation process. And in some cases how much data is required to demonstrate that one model is better than another. All these factors considered while choosing the right amount of datasets let we discus more elaborately to find how much data is enough of ML.

Depends on Complexities of Problem and Learning Algorithms

One of the most important factor while selecting training data for machine learning is complexity of problem means the unknown underlying function that relates to your variable inputs to the output variable as per the ML model type.

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Similarly, complexity of machine learning model algorithm is another important factor considered while choosing the right quantity of data sets. Actually, the algorithm used to inductively learn the unknown underlying mapping function from specific examples to make the best use of training data and integrate the same into the machine learning model.

Using the Statistical Heuristic Rule

In statistical terms there are many components considered like factor of the number of classes, factor of number of  input features and factor of the number of model parameters. And there are statistical heuristic methods available that allow you to calculate a suitable sample size.

In factor of the number of classes, there must be X independent examples for each class, where x could be tens, hundreds or thousands depending up on your parameter range. While input features there must be X% more examples than there input features and in model parameters there must be independent examples for each parameter in the model.

Model Skill vs Data Size Evaluation

While choosing the training data set for machine learning you can design s study that can evaluate model skill required against the size of training dataset. To perform this study plot the result of your model prediction, as a line plot with training dataset size on the x-axis and model skill on the y-axis that will give you an idea how much the quantity of data affects the skill of the model while solving a specific problem with machine learning.

You can use a learning curve in which you will be able to project the amount of data required to develop a skillful model or perhaps how small data you actually needed before touching an inflection point of diminishing returns. So, you can perform the study with available data and single performing algorithms like random forest and suggest you to develop a robust models in the context of well-rounded understanding of the problems.

More Data Required for Nonlinear Algorithms

Nonlinear algorithms are usually known as one the most powerful machine learning algorithms. As they are capable to learn the complex nonlinear relationships between inputs and output features. If you are using the nonlinear algorithms you need adequate amount of data sets and need to hire machine learning engineer that can work with such applied mathematics.

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Such algorithms are often more flexible and even nonparametric means they can find out itself how many parameters are required to model your problem in addition to the values of those parameters. The predictions with such models vary based on the particular data used to train them resulting lots of data required for such model training.

Don’t Wait for More Data, Get Started what you have

It is not necessary you will get sufficient amount of training data for your ML and waiting to acquire such data for long days is not a sensible decision. Don’t let the problem of the training set size stop you from getting started on your model prediction problem solving.

Get started with the data you can, use what you have, and check how effective models are on you problem. Acquire something then take action to understand better what you have with for further analysis and then increase the data you have with augmentation or collect more data from your domain to make your model training more accurate.

Conclusion

The quality and quantity of training data is one of the most important factor machine learning engineers or data scientist are taking into the serious consideration while developing a model. However, in coming years it would become more clear how much training data is sufficient for machine learning model development but it is clear now “the more the better”. Hence, if you can acquire as much data and utilize the information it would be better for you, but waiting for bid data acquisition for longer time can delay your projects. 

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Cogito is one the companies providing the high-quality training data sets for machine learning and AI. It is involved in data collection, classification and categorization with image annotation services to provide the well-supervised training data at affordable cost. It is providing the training data for all leading sectors including healthcare, automobile, agriculture and retail sector ready to adopt the machine learning or AI-based automated systems.