Overview
This is a follow-up blog to
Which AI am I ? [Azure AI Applied Services : Part 1]
In this blog we discuss in detail the applications for Vision API services with the help of flow charts and graphs to help you understand its application. It will help with if the intent is clear what is it that you wish to achieve through analyzing images or text.
Vision API’s
Vision API is one of the broadest categories under Cognitive Services. Hence its often confusing which amongst these should you use. Hopefully the graphs below will help. Underlying agenda if any of the solutions you are trying to create involve identifying or analyzing content within images or videos these are the API’s to use.
1) Computer Vision
Azure's Computer Vision service gives you access to advanced algorithms that process images and return information based on the visual features you're interested in.
It provides 4 major services namely OCR, Face, Image Analysis and Spatial Analysis. Form recognizer is an advanced version of OCR. Their use cases and implementation are given in the graph below
(1. A) OCR
(1. B) Face Service
(1. C) Image Analysis
(1. D) Spatial Analysis
- Computer Vision: A specific resource for the Computer Vision service. Use this resource type if you don't intend to use any other cognitive services, or if you want to track utilization and costs for your Computer Vision resource separately.
- Cognitive Services: A general cognitive services resource that includes Computer Vision along with many other cognitive services; such as Text Analytics, Translator Text, and others. Use this resource type if you plan to use multiple cognitive services and want to simplify administration and development.
Computer Vision offerings all under one hood
2) Custom Vision
Azure Custom Vision is an image recognition service that lets you build, deploy, and improve your own image identifier models
- Custom Vision: A specific resource for the Custom Vision service which can be training, a prediction, or both resources. It's important to note that if you choose "both", then two resources are created - one for training and one for prediction. The separation of training and prediction resources is useful when you want to track resource utilization for model training separately from client applications using the model to predict image classes. However, it can make development of an image classification solution a little confusing
- Cognitive Services: A general cognitive services resource that includes Custom Vision along with many other cognitive services for training, prediction, or both Use this resource type if you plan to use multiple cognitive services and want to simplify administration and development.
3) Face Service
The Azure Face service provides AI algorithms that detect, recognize, and analyze human faces in images.
- Face: Use this specific resource type if you don't intend to use any other cognitive services, or if you want to track utilization and costs for Face separately.
- Cognitive Services: A general cognitive services resource that includes Computer Vision along with many other cognitive services; such as Computer Vision, Text Analytics, Translator Text, and others. Use this resource type if you plan to use multiple cognitive services and want to simplify administration and development.
4) Video Analyzer (Video Indexer)
(Note: For the purpose of this blog we showing application scenarios for Video Analyzer which currently falls Vision API's. However this is a preview offering which will retire as per article )
All Vision API's under one hood (Graphs can be found here)
References
- What is Computer Vision ?
- OCR
- Face Service
- Image Analysis
- Spatial Analysis
- Custom Vision
- Form Recognizer
Future Reads
Next Article : Azure Cognitive Services: Speech API's [Azure AI Applied Services : Part 3]
Dont forget to share a 
Credit: Thanks Varma Gandhiraji, Nathan Widdup, Shweta Gaur for reviews and guidance
FastTrack for Azure: Move to Azure efficiently with customized guidance from Azure engineering.
FastTrack for Azure – Benefits and FAQ | Microsoft Azure
