Google Vertex AI Reviews

Vertex AI is a playground for data analysts. It is for machine learning engineers and data scientists. We create, test, customize, deploy, and monitor our models on Vertex AI. It is a fully managed product of machine learning.

About twenty people at our company use Vertex AI.

The most valuable feature of Vertex AI is the Feature Store. When it comes to model training and artificial intelligence, a whole team of people was needed to do the work. It could not be done by just one person. Data engineers, machine learning engineers, and data scientists have completely different tasks and, therefore, the communication gap is inevitable. With Feature Store, you can create your features and make them centralized in the store so everyone can see them. The feature is locked and you can create multiple versions of the features. It is similar to GitLab. It has a version control function which is very practical and important for anyone who works in machine learning.

I also like the monitoring feature. I give that feature a ten out of ten. It saves data scientists' lives. After deploying the model and that model runs on the cloud, you need to constantly check on it. With the monitoring feature, you can relax and wait for the notification in case something is wrong. You have time to examine what went wrong. In addition, you can define the error and pre-set the exact thing you want to monitor. Whether it's a task failure, an instant failure, too much uptime, or downtime, the monitoring feature is extremely helpful.

I've been using Google Vertex AI for four years.

The solution is stable.

The solution is stable, but it is quite slow. Maybe my data is too large, but I think that Google could improve Vertex AI's training time.

It does not require any maintenance at all.

I have not had any need to contact technical support. 

I have previously used Microsoft Azure but I prefer Vertex AI because it's less complicated to use.

The deployment is very simple. All you have to do is click a button, finish some data configuration, and let the machine do the work while you wait.
There are several options to choose from. You can deploy it on Google Cloud, Microsoft Cloud, AWS Cloud, or you can deploy it on your private cloud. There are two options when it comes to retrieving the data. You can either use HTTPS or API. The deployment is very customized.
If you want to deploy on a cloud other than Google Cloud, you need a cloud engineer with you because sometimes it works on Google Cloud, but it has different terms or different definitions on AWS or Microsoft. You need someone who has the knowledge of how these work and can guarantee everything will work smoothly.

I wouldn't say that the whole package is expensive, but I definitely wish it was a little cheaper.

It will improve your engineering abilities.

Considering that Vertex AI is adding new features such as Generative AI, I would rate it a nine out of ten. Google continuously improves the solution. Over the past three years, many new and useful features have been added. I have never had any need to contact technical support. 

I mostly use LLM models on Vertex AI. When there is a large document or multiple documents, I put them in the index database of Vertex AI's platform and it extracts the right information.

We work with clients who request the implementation of a certain document into a chatbot. Because of the limited knowledge of AI, our task is to link that file to the ML and provide a platform that can work as a customer service. We previously used LangChain Phython, but now it is done through Vertex AI. 

Vertex AI possesses multiple libraries, so it eliminates the need for extensive coding. The process of deployment is facilitated as well. It's possible to build LLM models through an API and deploy it through an app.

It would be beneficial to have certain features included in the future, such as image generators and text-to-speech solutions. They could offer some simplified system to train the samples other than LLM models.

I have been using Vertex AI for the last five months.  

We have experienced no stability concerns, and we are entirely satisfied with the current state.

Vertex AI provides both scalability and flexibility, while allowing all of the needed adaptation of machine learning projects.

In my experience, there have been some delays related to customer service. They offer a good solution eventually, but it takes a long time to receive the assistance after you request it. Other platforms, such as Azure OpenAI have a live chat option which makes it easier to communicate any possible issues. I would rate their customer service a seven out of ten. 

Neutral

I previously used Azure OpenAI and AWS AI, but I was not satisfied with the setup process. Azure OpenAI requests that you submit exclusively credit cards, while Vertex AI accepts debit cards as well. AWS AI was a good solution, but not not the best. I used it briefly before switching to Vertex AI. 

The initial configuration was easily executed. Vertex AI is user-friendly, all you need is to have a Google account and Cloud to set up everything. With all of the new technology and developments, many other AI platforms require new knowledge to go through the setup process, but Vertex AI is very convenient in that matter. 

The price structure is very clear. You are aware of what you are paying for and what services you are getting. It is quite confidential, which is another benefit. Google Vertex AI offers a range of pre-trained models that helps accelerate the development of your machine-learning applications, so if you are skilled, you can build your own model in a very short period of time.

Before opting for Vertex AI, I would recommend a short course on this solution, to know how to use it to its full potential. It doesn't have to be an extensive course, maybe an hour or two. Google provides very good but simple, beginner-friendly programs, that ensure you get all of the necessary information.

We use it to run AI chatbots, generative AI, and some data science and machine learning instances.

One of the use cases is that we built a chatbot to improve technician efficiency by providing all the user manuals for a specific line of work. The technicians could then interact with the chatbot and get generative AI responses on fixing errors that pop up.

It should improve the model efficiency, which is just training the model over and over again. Building an application on Agent Builder and grounding it with our internal documents and internal data does improve its accuracy when used in generative AI. 

Some of the tools should have more advanced settings available. Some are very locked into certain features and settings, and there is no customization. A more advanced button to fine-tune some of those settings would be good.

Having it more available throughout all the other applications on GCP would be good. 

I have been using Google Vertex AI for a year.

I rate the solution’s stability a nine out of ten. 

It is very good at scaling from small to large datasets.

The development team includes five to ten people using this solution.

Support is good. I have a direct connection with some Google folks. I get support there, but it's pretty good and straightforward.

Positive

The initial setup took a couple of days.

I rate the initial setup an eight out of ten, where one is difficult, and ten is easy.

It costs 1000/year, so it's very inexpensive.

I rate the product’s pricing a five out of ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive.

Vertex is a platform for models and AI tools, but in this realm of data management, running all my queries and everything inside of instances with those GPUs available helps the flow of data.

I advise you to start with the partner training. It would help to always start with the training that Google provides. It provides some good labs. It's very intuitive, so you should have an easy time transitioning into it.

Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

In my company, I use the Google Cloud Platform solution for Vertex AI Workbench and Vertex AI with Gemini. I also use Vertex AI Agent Builder and the other stuff they offer as a framework to build different kinds of applications.

I won't be able to give you the specific details for the customers, but it is mainly for building the operational application for our company's clients by focusing on GenAI capabilities so that at least we can optimize the work, which usually comes in the agent support.

The most valuable features of the solution are that it is quite flexible, and some of the services are almost low-code, with no-code services, so it gives agents flexibility to build the use cases according to the operational needs. If somebody wants to build something on their own, it is very easy for even the end users. On the contrary, if they want to customize the pipelines and cover the granular details, they can utilize the options available for capturing and controlling every pipeline stage with codes.

The tools' models are pretty good. The multi-model capabilities from Vertex AI with Gemini 1.5 Pro are quite good, but the cost is slightly higher.

I think the technical documentation is not readily available in the tool. From the ecosystem perspective, there is not enough information available, even for partners or developers who would write certain blogs or content explaining how one can utilize the tool's services. If something gets stuck, it is difficult to access. The documentation is not readily accessible.

I have been using Google Vertex AI for a year. My company has a partnership with Google. My organization also operates as an integrator for Google.

It is a stable solution.

The tool's scalability features depend on the provisioning, but the tool is actually quite scalable, and there is no limit. You can start as low as with a single node and one CPU and go all the way up. There is no limit to how much you can scale up since it all depends on the pricing tier and the service configuration you utilize.

I have experience with Microsoft, and I feel that it is much better than Google. Microsoft's service maturity is slightly higher regarding features or capabilities, and it is slightly more mature as an RPA tool than Google.

The product is easy to provision and install.

The time needed to deploy the solution depends on the type of application. It can take as little as three weeks, or it may go on for even three months.

A very small scrum team of two to three resources can actually build the entire use case from start to end.

In general, ROI largely depends on the use case, not the service cost itself. The footprint can be revised based on the operational gains. We always start low, and the infra costs are usually a very small fraction of the resource cost.

I think almost every tool offers a decent discount. In terms of credits or other stuff, every cloud provider provides a good number of incentives to onboard new clients.

Speaking about how Google Vertex AI's automation feature improved our company's ML workflows, I would say that we don't have to do much. Suppose you totally rely on the tool's pre-automated workflows. In that case, it will take away a huge effort that is involved in building retrieval augmented generation pipelines. So you just have to dump the dataset, and automatically, it will be able to fulfill the needs of the pipeline.

Some people would be required for operational support, mainly for fine-tuning and optimizing the application.

Speaking about how the tool helps enhance data management and offers integration capabilities, I would have to say that such features are common for all cloud providers. The native integrations are quite easy, but integrations with third parties are usually tough.

Before choosing Google Vertex AI, people should evaluate all the services and compare the vendors.

I rate the tool a seven to eight out of ten.

We use Vertex AI for building machine learning workflows. This encompasses the entire process, from developing the workflow for training models to making predictions. Additionally, it handles the integration of diverse data types, including electronic data interchange (EDI), Salesforce (SFDC), and other formats. This aligns with the information you inquired about during our discussion last week.

We use Google Cloud's Vertex AI platform for our machine learning workflows. Specifically, we leverage the IO branch for EDA data. The AI model registry in Vertex AI is crucial for cataloging and managing various versions of the models we develop. When it comes to deploying models, we rely on Google Cloud's AI Prediction service, seamlessly integrating it into our workflow for real-time predictions or streaming. 

For monitoring and tracking the outcomes of model development, we employ Vertex AI Monitoring, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the model's performance and results. This integrated approach within Vertex AI provides a unified platform for managing, deploying, and monitoring machine learning models efficiently.

I believe that Vertex AI is a robust platform, but its effectiveness depends significantly on the domain knowledge of the developer using it. While Vertex AI does offer support through the console UI in the Google Cloud environment, it is better suited for technical members who have a deeper understanding of machine learning concepts. 

The platform may be challenging for business process developers (BPDUs) who lack extensive technical knowledge, as it involves intricate customization and handling of numerous parameters. Effectively utilizing Vertex AI requires not only familiarity with machine learning frameworks like TensorFlow or PyTorch but also proficiency in Python programming. The complexity of these requirements might pose challenges for less technically oriented users, making it crucial to have a solid foundation in both machine learning principles and Python coding to extract the full value from Vertex AI.

I have been using Google Vertex AI for two to three months. 

I would rate the stability of Vertex AI at nine. It has proven to be highly reliable for both business and technical aspects. On the business side, Vertex AI empowers users to explore and implement machine learning models effectively, contributing to business growth and data analysis. 

From a technical perspective, the infrastructure is robust, ensuring there is no downtime. The seamless integration with other tools like Cloud Composer and Dataflow allows for comprehensive control over the entire machine learning workflow, creating a cohesive and efficient experience. 

The scalability of Vertex AI is a perfect 10. Leveraging the robust infrastructure of Google has evidently provided us with ample resources to seamlessly run our machine learning processes. The absence of any limitations or constraints allows us to execute our tasks without hindrance, highlighting the efficiency and reliability of the tool.

While the support is generally good, there have been instances where the response time was slower than expected. Since Vertex AI is a managed service, the support team sometimes takes longer to address queries as they need to escalate them to the product team. I believe there is room for improvement in terms of faster resolution of tickets and quicker responses, especially for issues that could be resolved more promptly.

Positive

The initial setup with Vertex AI poses no challenges, especially given the seamless interaction with Google Cloud. However, I acknowledge that the platform involves a plethora of parameters and technical intricacies that must be addressed to configure the environment correctly. It seems like a more straightforward, user-friendly approach to configuring these parameters would be beneficial, ensuring that users can easily and accurately set up the environment without encountering complexities. Simplifying these technical aspects could further enhance the overall user experience with Vertex AI.Our workflow typically begins with the initial step of acquiring the Vertex AI API, a prerequisite for utilizing Vertex AI's capabilities. Subsequently, we proceed with the Vertex AI Workbench, focusing on exploratory data analysis (EDA) to extract relevant features crucial for our machine learning models. Following this, we engage in Extract, Transform, Load (ETL) processes, manipulating and storing data in platforms like BigQuery or Cloud Storage.

The subsequent phase involves coding the machine learning algorithm and encapsulating it into an image bundle. This bundle is then pushed into the Vertex AI training environment, initiating the training job. Once the model is successfully trained, we leverage the Vertex AI Model Registry for efficient model deployment into production. This deployment can take various forms, such as batch predictions or real-time streaming endpoints.

The final stage of our workflow often includes addressing customer requests for model monitoring, a task facilitated by the Vertex AI Monitoring tool. While some clients opt to include this monitoring step, others conclude their workflow at the AI model deployment stage. Overall, our workflow is comprehensive, covering all essential aspects from initial data analysis to deploying fully trained models into production.

Vertex AI offers attractive pricing. With this pricing structure, I can leverage various opportunities to bring value to my business. It's a positive aspect worth considering.

I would rate the overall solution 7 out of 10.

We use the solution for the model garden. We leverage both open-source models and Google Vertex AI's embedding models and use them to deploy our machine-learning models.

The most valuable feature we've found is the model garden, which allows us to deploy and use various models through the provided endpoints easily.

The tool's documentation is not good. It is hard. 

I have been working with the product for two years. 

The tool is stable, and I haven't faced any bugs. 

Google Vertex AI is scalable. My company has four to five users. 

The tool's deployment was easy. The Cloud Run feature was tricky. 

The solution's pricing is moderate. 

I would recommend using Google Vertex AI. It's a good product, but it depends on your use case. If your needs align with its capabilities, it's worth considering. I started as a beginner and found it easy to learn and use. I rate it an eight out of ten.