How data visualisation can empower AI insights

• With the proliferation of the internet and IoT devices, we are generating an unprecedented amount of data every day.
• In order to make such data suitable for analysis, it must be cleaned, transformed, and organised.
• Data visualisation plays an important role in this process by providing data scientists and engineers with the opportunity to search for outliers, inconsistencies, or patterns in their data, thereby enabling insightful decision-making.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a transformative force in today's data-driven world, across various sectors. The tasks once thought to be the exclusive domain of humans can now be performed by AI algorithms powered by vast volumes of data. However, AI must depend heavily on data to do its job effectively and this requires a granular understanding of a database. In these cases, the use of data visualisation is an essential tool. It is an instrument that enables humans to gain a better understanding of insights, find patterns, and make intuitive decisions by creating visual representations of unprocessed data.

Understanding the data deluge

Before delving into the role of data visualisation in AI, it’s crucial to grasp the sheer volume and complexity of the data involved. With the proliferation of the internet and IoT devices, we are generating an unprecedented amount of data every day. This data often comes in various formats, from structured data in databases to unstructured text, images, and sensor readings. AI algorithms thrive on this data, but humans need a way to understand and interpret it.

The importance of data preparation

Data needs to be prepared before AI models can train on it. In order to make such data suitable for analysis, it must be cleaned, transformed, and organised. Data visualisation plays an important role in this process by providing data scientists and engineers with the opportunity to search for outliers, inconsistencies, or patterns in their data. Visual representation of data makes it easier to detect anomalies and make informed decisions on how the data can be processed in a more effective way, e.g., scatter plots, histograms, or heatmaps.

Once this is done you can concentrate on the essential parts of your project, automate tasks and make smarter choices by using AI tools that enable data visualisation. AI is just beginning to take hold, but it has already made a huge impact on data visualisation professionals. With AI, there are fewer steps in the process of gathering and analysing data, which means that projects move more quickly than ever before.

Exploratory Data Analysis

Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) is a critical step in understanding the underlying structure of data. EDA involves visualising data through various charts, graphs, and plots to uncover insights. For AI projects, EDA helps in feature selection, which is crucial for training accurate models. Data visualisation tools assist data scientists in exploring relationships between variables, identifying correlations, and gaining a deeper understanding of the data's distribution.

Model evaluation and validation

Data visualisation does not stop once the AI model is trained. It continues to play a crucial role in evaluating and validating the model's performance. Visualisation techniques like confusion matrices, ROC curves, and precision-recall curves provide a clear picture of how well the AI model is performing. By visualising model predictions and comparing them to actual outcomes, data scientists can fine-tune models and enhance their accuracy.

Interpreting AI outputs

In many cases, AI models are a "black box" and therefore it’s difficult to understand why certain decisions have been made. Data visualisation can aid in interpreting AI outputs by creating visualisation tools that show the model's decision-making process. An example of this is in health care, AI diagnostic systems can create visual diagrams to explain their findings and make doctors more trusting and familiar with the advice they receive from AI.

Communicating results effectively

The ultimate goal of AI is not just to create accurate models but to derive actionable insights from them. Data visualisation bridges the gap between AI experts and non-experts by presenting complex AI-generated insights in a visual and understandable format. Dashboards, infographics, and interactive visualisations allow stakeholders to make data-driven decisions without needing a deep understanding of AI algorithms.

Benefits of data visualisation in AI

1. Improved understanding: Visualisation transforms abstract numbers into meaningful representations. It enables stakeholders to gain a deeper understanding of the data, fostering more informed decision-making.
2. Efficiency: With data visualisation, information can be absorbed at a glance. This saves time, as analysts and decision-makers do not need to sift through extensive spreadsheets or databases to extract insights.
3. Error detection: Visualisations make it easier to spot errors or outliers in data, a crucial step in data preprocessing for AI. Detecting and correcting anomalies early can enhance the accuracy of AI models.
4. Interactive exploration: Advanced visualisation tools allow users to interact with data, enabling them to drill down into specific details and explore data from different angles. This interactivity promotes deeper analysis.

Data visualisation is an indispensable tool in the world of AI. It bridges the gap between raw data and actionable insights, enhancing understanding, communication, and decision-making. In the realm of AI, data is the lifeblood, and data visualisation is the lens through which we make sense of this vast and complex resource. It is the bridge that connects the power of AI algorithms to human understanding and decision-making.

From data preparation to model evaluation, interpretation, and communication, data visualisation plays a pivotal role in ensuring that AI is not just a technological marvel but a practical and valuable tool in solving real-world problems. Transforming data into knowledge allows individuals and organisations to make full use of the potential of AI. Data visualisation, which guides us through a large quantity of information to ensure that we reach our target with confidence and clarity, is the compass for AI's journey.

Disclaimer: This article is authored by Sourav Ghosh, BPM Expert and Jayaraju D, BPM Expert. The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Business Insider India.