Compare Amazon Elastic Inference vs. LiteRT

Amazon Elastic Inference provides an affordable way to enhance Amazon EC2 and Sagemaker instances or Amazon ECS tasks with GPU-powered acceleration, potentially cutting deep learning inference costs by as much as 75%. It is compatible with models built on TensorFlow, Apache MXNet, PyTorch, and ONNX. The term "inference" refers to the act of generating predictions from a trained model. In the realm of deep learning, inference can represent up to 90% of the total operational expenses, primarily for two reasons. Firstly, GPU instances are generally optimized for model training rather than inference, as training tasks can handle numerous data samples simultaneously, while inference typically involves processing one input at a time in real-time, resulting in minimal GPU usage. Consequently, relying solely on GPU instances for inference can lead to higher costs. Conversely, CPU instances lack the necessary specialization for matrix computations, making them inefficient and often too sluggish for deep learning inference tasks. This necessitates a solution like Elastic Inference, which optimally balances cost and performance in inference scenarios.

LiteRT, previously known as TensorFlow Lite, is an advanced runtime developed by Google that provides high-performance capabilities for artificial intelligence on devices. This platform empowers developers to implement machine learning models on multiple devices and microcontrollers with ease. Supporting models from prominent frameworks like TensorFlow, PyTorch, and JAX, LiteRT converts these models into the FlatBuffers format (.tflite) for optimal inference efficiency on devices. Among its notable features are minimal latency, improved privacy by handling data locally, smaller model and binary sizes, and effective power management. The runtime also provides SDKs in various programming languages, including Java/Kotlin, Swift, Objective-C, C++, and Python, making it easier to incorporate into a wide range of applications. To enhance performance on compatible devices, LiteRT utilizes hardware acceleration through delegates such as GPU and iOS Core ML. The upcoming LiteRT Next, which is currently in its alpha phase, promises to deliver a fresh set of APIs aimed at simplifying the process of on-device hardware acceleration, thereby pushing the boundaries of mobile AI capabilities even further. With these advancements, developers can expect more seamless integration and performance improvements in their applications.