Preprocess data with MLTransform

This page explains how to use the MLTransform class to preprocess data for machine learning (ML) workflows. Apache Beam provides a set of data processing transforms for preprocessing data for training and inference. The MLTransform class wraps the various transforms in one class, simplifying your workflow. For a full list of available transforms, see the Transforms section on this page.

Why use MLTransform

• With MLTransform, you can use the same preprocessing steps for both training and inference, which ensures consistent results.
• Generate embeddings on text data using large language models (LLMs).
• MLTransform can do a full pass on the dataset, which is useful when you need to transform a single element only after analyzing the entire dataset. For example, with MLTransform, you can complete the following tasks:
  • Normalize an input value by using the minimum and maximum value of the entire dataset.
  • Convert floats to ints by assigning them buckets, based on the observed data distribution.
  • Convert strings to ints by generating vocabulary over the entire dataset.
  • Count the occurrences of words in all the documents to calculate TF-IDF weights.

Support and limitations

• Available in the Apache Beam Python SDK versions 2.53.0 and later.
• Supports Python 3.8, 3.9, 3.10, and 3.11
• Only available for pipelines that use default windows.

Transforms

You can use MLTransform to generate text embeddings and to perform various data processing transforms.

Text embedding transforms

You can use MLTranform to generate embeddings that you can use to push data into vector databases or to run inference.

Data processing transforms that use TFT

The following set of transforms available in the MLTransform class come from the TensorFlow Transforms (TFT) library. TFT offers specialized processing modules for machine learning tasks. For information about these transforms, see Module:tft in the TensorFlow documentation.

I/O requirements

• Input to the MLTransform class must be a dictionary.
• MLTransform outputs a Beam Row object with transformed elements.
• The output PCollection is a schema PCollection. The output schema contains the transformed columns.

Artifacts

Artifacts are additional data elements created by data transformations. Examples of artifacts are the minimum and maximum values from a ScaleTo01 transformation, or the mean and variance from a ScaleToZScore transformation.

In the MLTransform class, the write_artifact_location and the read_artifact_location parameters determine whether the MLTransform class creates artifacts or retrieves artifacts.

Write mode

When you use the write_artifact_location parameter, the MLTransform class runs the specified transformations on the dataset and then creates artifacts from these transformations. The artifacts are stored in the location that you specify in the write_artifact_location parameter.

Write mode is useful when you want to store the results of your transformations for future use. For example, if you apply the same transformations on a different dataset, use write mode to ensure that the transformation parameters remain consistent.

The following examples demonstrate how write mode works.

• The ComputeAndApplyVocabulary transform generates a vocabulary file that contains the vocabulary generated over the entire dataset. The vocabulary file is stored in the location specified by the write_artifact_location parameter value. The ComputeAndApplyVocabulary transform outputs the indices of the vocabulary to the vocabulary file.
• The ScaleToZScore transform calculates the mean and variance over the entire dataset and then normalizes the entire dataset using the mean and variance. When you use the write_artifact_location parameter, these values are stored as a tensorflow graph in the location specified by the write_artifact_location parameter value. You can reuse the values in read mode to ensure that future transformations use the same mean and variance for normalization.

Read mode

When you use the read_artifact_location parameter, the MLTransform class expects the artifacts to exist in the value provided in the read_artifact_location parameter. In this mode, MLTransform retrieves the artifacts and uses them in the transform. Because the transformations are stored in the artifacts when you use read mode, you don’t need to specify the transformations.

Artifact workflow

The following scenario provides an example use case for artifacts.

Before training a machine learning model, you use MLTransform with the write_artifact_location parameter. When you run MLTransform, it applies transformations that preprocess the dataset. The transformation produces artifacts that are stored in the location specified by the write_artifact_location parameter value.

After preprocessing, you use the transformed data to train the machine learning model.

After training, you run inference. You use new test data and use the read_artifact_location parameter. By using this setting, you ensure that the test data undergoes the same preprocessing steps as the training data. In read mode, running MLTransform fetches the transformation artifacts from the location specified in the read_artifact_location parameter value. MLTransform applies these artifacts to the test data.

This workflow provides consistency in preprocessing steps for both training and test data. This consistency ensures that the model can accurately evaluate the test data and maintain the integrity of the model’s performance.

Preprocess data with MLTransform

To use the MLTransform transform to preprocess data, add the following code to your pipeline:

  import apache_beam as beam
  from apache_beam.ml.transforms.base import MLTransform
  from apache_beam.ml.transforms.tft import <TRANSFORM_NAME>
  import tempfile

  data = [
      {
          <DATA>
      },
  ]

  artifact_location = tempfile.mkdtemp()
  <TRANSFORM_FUNCTION_NAME> = <TRANSFORM_NAME>(columns=['x'])

  with beam.Pipeline() as p:
    transformed_data = (
        p
        | beam.Create(data)
        | MLTransform(write_artifact_location=artifact_location).with_transform(
            <TRANSFORM_FUNCTION_NAME>)
        | beam.Map(print))

Replace the following values:

• TRANSFORM_NAME: The name of the transform to use.
• DATA: The input data to transform.
• TRANSFORM_FUNCTION_NAME: The name that you assign to your transform function in your code.

For more examples, see MLTransform for data processing in the transform catalog.