PaddlePaddle: A Production-Oriented Deep Learning Platform Facilitating the Competency of Enterprises

As a thriving branch of Artificial Intelligence (AI), deep learning has empowered industries through cost reduction and efficiency improvement. Enterprise decision-makers need skilled employees who are familiar with their business and deep learning. As a result, they are placing increasing emphasis on deep learning technology. However, mastering mathematics, probability theory, and programming is a prerequisite for deep learning studies, which is a high threshold for business employees, especially for those who are not computer science majors. To solve this problem, we created a production-oriented deep learning platform-PaddlePaddle, to meet the needs of employees from various technological backgrounds. PaddlePaddle is a four-tiered software architecture, which consists of Core Framework, Algorithm Suites, Scene Suites, and Visual Interface. Four components are inter-compatible and gradually progressive. It also proposes a new model of cultivating employees to start using the Visual Interface, then use the Core Framework with the improvement of technology. In this paper, we report the architecture and functions of PaddlePaddle in detail, with a special emphasis on its novel aspects: