Hyperparameters and Optimization

We introduced the concepts of hyperparameters and hyperparameter optimization (or tuning) in Chapter 2. In this chapter, we will dive into these concepts in more detail, and we will use Google Cloud products such as Vertex AI Vizier to define and run hyperparameter tuning jobs.

Following our established pattern, we will begin by covering some prerequisites that are required for the hands-on activities in this chapter. Then, we cover some important basic concepts that relate to the content covered in this chapter, and finally, we perform hands-on activities that teach you how to apply those concepts in real-world scenarios.

This chapter covers the following topics:

• Prerequisites and basic concepts
• What are hyperparameters?
• Hyperparameter optimization
• Hands-on: performing hyperparameter tuning in Vertex AI

Let’s begin by reviewing the prerequisites for this chapter.