Back in September 2017, the Open Neural Network Exchange (ONNX) was created by Microsoft And Facebook.
The aim is to increase interoperability between deep learning tools and reduce friction for developing and deploying AI by sharing work format.
Without initiatives like ONNX, companies, startups and universities that are attempting to create machine learning technology, can be stripped from their work due to format issues. So here the idea for ONNX is to create open-source AI platforms for those who want to use it.
After sharing its goal, in October, more companies are supporting the project. They include IBM, Huawei, Intel, AMD, Arm, and Qualcomm.
As these are the companies that work within the fields of AI for at least various of degrees, they have the knowledge and experience in the field, and share common goals in AI.
In November, ONNX is getting another member, Amazon. The e-commerce giant recognizes the benefits of the ONNX open ecosystem to enable developers working on deep learning to move between tools easily, choosing ones that are best suited for the task at hand.
Amazon has announced that its its ONNX-MXNet package to import ONNX deep learning models into Apache MXNet, signifying the company is on-board with Facebook and Microsoft in efforts to open-source AI.
By joining ONNX, Amazon is contributing to this innovative open ecosystem for interchangeable AI models.
Together, the companies are giving developers the power to build and create rich experiences - without having to worry about interoperability across frameworks.
What this means, it allows AI developers to keep models but switch networks, as opposed to starting from scratch.
With the ONNX-MXNet Python package, ONNX supports another major framework. After Caffe2, PyTorch, Microsoft Cognitive Toolkit, it's adding MXNet to the list.
Developers running models based on open-source ONNX, can run them on Apache MXNet.
So here is where sharing is caring. When it has become increasingly evident that the future of AI needs more than just ethical direction and laws from the government's insight, the initiative aims to make companies that work with AI, to share one common goal in making AI a better aid to humans.
As we all know it, the machines and the humans who will rely on them, need the biggest companies building AI to take on a fair share of responsibility for the future we are all creating.
"We are excited to work together to make ONNX more accessible and robust for developers everywhere," said Facebook.
"We believe bringing AI advances to all developers, on any platform, using any language, with an open AI ecosystem, will help ensure AI is more accessible and valuable to all," said Microsoft.
"We will be working with Facebook, Microsoft, and the deep learning community to further develop ONNX, making it accessible and useful for deep learning practitioners," said Amazon announcing its support for ONNX.