We have learned about a new Cloud Integrated Development Environment (IDE) in this article that is not only free but also user-friendly. This platform, called Lightning AI Studio, is an advanced iteration of Google Colab, allowing users to work on conceptual designs using GPU for free, save projects, and utilize essential applications.
Similar to Google Colab, Lightning AI Studio is a cloud-based AI development tool designed to simplify the setup of local environments for machine learning projects.
Key Features of Lightning AI Studio:
- Integration of popular machine learning tools into a unified interface eliminates the need to switch between different tools, facilitating the creation of scalable AI software and devices.
- No environment setup required; users can code in the browser or connect their local IDE (such as VSCode or PyCharm) effortlessly. Switching between CPU and GPU is seamless and does not impact the environment.
- Hosting and sharing of AI applications developed with Streamlit, Gradio, React JS, etc., allowing multiple users to collaborate on coding.
- Provides unlimited storage, enables interaction with S3 buckets, facilitates data upload and sharing, and more.
- Supports large-scale model training with thousands of GPUs (premium option), allowing for hyperparameter tuning, data processing, and model deployment in parallel.
- Leveraging cloud infrastructure to deliver a localized development experience.
- Access to community templates (Studios) for quick deployment, fine-tuning, and training of models on the cloud without the need for setup.
Your cloud-based Jupyter Notebook or VSCode offers robust hardware for efficient inference and training of large language models.
At Thunder AI, users can create a free account at Thunder AI Sign-Up Page. Quick verification can be obtained by using a verified business or .edu email address. Immediate access is granted upon registration with an email address such as @kdnuggets.com.
After creating an account, follow a few simple steps to customize your Thunder experience. Verification of your phone number is required to receive 7 hours of free GPU access.
After the initial setup, you will be directed to a test project containing a Python file for easy understanding. Your Studio will be ready to work with images and fine-tune the Renest model within minutes. Simply review the script and execute the file to begin.
While additional options are available in the right panel, the user interface (UI) closely resembles that of VSCode.
Users can create studios using job templates provided by the Lightning AI platform, including scripts, environment settings, and data to assist in starting projects. Various Studios are available, covering hyperparameter tuning, preprocessing, training, and fine-tuning. Users can quickly browse through these templates to find the one that best suits their needs.
For example, using the Mistral 7BAPI, select “Find” and wait for the process to complete. Then, execute the initial cell in the run button.ipynb folder to view the output.
To review the client code.py file, start the “client” folder in the server files after obtaining the output from the Mistral 7BAPI.
Transitioning from VSCode to Lightning AI Studio was straightforward for me, as a frequent VSCode user.
By clicking the Jupyter Notebook button in the right panel, users can switch to the IDE if they prefer the current UI. Various Lightning AI Studio plugins are available in the respective section.
Select the “+” button to choose from a range of plugins for IDE, AI Agents, Training, Serving, and Webapps.
With Studio addons now accessible alongside VSCode and Jupyter Notebook extensions, users can enhance their experience effortlessly.
From exploring model architectures to deploying applications, Lightning AI Studio provides a comprehensive solution for machine learning needs. This user-friendly platform includes all necessary features, eliminating the need for multiple tools.
Even individuals unfamiliar with cloud computing or hardware management can leverage the cloud’s power and scalability without complexity. Thunder AI Studio caters to those aiming to develop production-ready solutions or conceptual designs. The complimentary level grants access to essential features, including Studio GPUs, facilitating the learning and development of effective machine learning programs with Lightning AI Studio.
