Detecting and addressing model drift: Automated monitoring and real-time retraining in ML pipelines
ML Ops Engineer, Department of Human Services, Maryland.
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2019, 03(02), 147-152
Publication history:
Received on 07 September 2019; revised on 16 Februay 2019; accepted on 19 September 2019
Abstract:
As machine learning (ML) models transition from development to deployment, their performance can degrade over time due to changes in underlying data distributions, a phenomenon known as model drift. If left unaddressed, model drift can lead to inaccurate predictions, biased outcomes, and poor business decisions. To mitigate this risk, automated model monitoring and real-time retraining are essential in modern ML pipelines.
Model drift can manifest in several forms, including concept drift, where the relationship between features and labels changes; covariate shift, where the distribution of input features evolves; and label drift, where the frequency of class labels varies over time. Detecting and addressing model drift is crucial for maintaining model accuracy and reliability, particularly in high-stakes applications such as financial fraud detection, healthcare diagnostics, and predictive maintenance.
This paper explores various methodologies for detecting model drift, including statistical techniques, drift detection algorithms, and real-time anomaly detection frameworks. We discuss key performance monitoring tools such as Prometheus, Grafana, AWS SageMaker Model Monitor, and Evidently AI that facilitate proactive drift identification. Additionally, we highlight strategies for implementing automated model retraining pipelines using MLOps frameworks like Kubeflow, Apache Airflow, and MLflow, ensuring seamless integration with production environments.
A significant focus is placed on real-time retraining approaches, where model updates are triggered dynamically based on performance metrics, drift thresholds, and adaptive learning mechanisms. We analyze trade-offs between scheduled vs. event-driven retraining, discuss CI/CD workflows for ML models, and present case studies that showcase the impact of drift management in real-world applications.
Finally, we address challenges associated with automated drift mitigation, including computational cost, ethical considerations, and data latency issues. Future research directions explore the role of federated learning, large-scale reinforcement learning, and AI-augmented drift detection techniques to enhance robustness in continuously evolving ML systems.
Through a comprehensive study of model drift detection and mitigation strategies, this paper aims to provide actionable insights for data scientists, MLOps engineers, and AI practitioners to build resilient, self-healing ML pipelines that sustain performance in dynamic data environments.
Keywords:
Model drift; AWS SageMaker Model Monitor; Grafana; Machine Learning
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Copyright © 2019 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0