Answer : D
Detailed Answer in Step-by-Step Solution:
Objective: Identify the function that measures the difference between predicted and actual values in machine learning.
Understand ML Functions:
Optimizer function: Adjusts model parameters to minimize error (e.g., gradient descent)---it uses the cost, not defines it.
Fit function: Trains the model by fitting it to data---process-oriented, not a measure.
Update function: Typically updates weights during training---not a standard term for error measurement.
Cost function: Quantifies prediction error (e.g., MSE, cross-entropy)---directly represents the difference.
Evaluate Options:
A: Optimizer minimizes the cost, not the cost itself---incorrect.
B: Fit executes training, not error definition---incorrect.
C: Update is vague and not a standard ML term for this---incorrect.
D: Cost function (e.g., loss) measures prediction vs. target---correct.
Reasoning: The cost function (or loss function) is the mathematical representation of error, guiding optimization.
Conclusion: D is the correct answer.
In OCI Data Science, the documentation explains: ''The cost function (or loss function) measures the difference between the model's predicted values and the actual target values, such as mean squared error for regression or cross-entropy for classification.'' Optimizers (A) use this to adjust weights, fit (B) is a training step, and update (C) isn't a defined function here---only the cost function (D) fits the description. This aligns with standard ML terminology and OCI's AutoML processes.
: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Data Science Documentation, 'Machine Learning Concepts - Cost Functions'.