Interpret prediction results from image classification models
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After requesting a prediction, Vertex AI returns results based on your
model's objective. AutoML single-label image classification predictions
return a single label category and its corresponding confidence score. Multi-
label classification predictions return multiple label categories and their
corresponding confidence scores.
The confidence score communicates how strongly your model associates each
class or label with a test item. The higher the number, the higher the model's
confidence that the label should be applied to that item. You decide how high
the confidence score must be for you to accept the model's results.
Score threshold slider
In the Google Cloud console, Vertex AI provides a slider that's
used to adjust the confidence threshold for all classes or labels, or an
individual class or label. The slider is available on a model's detail page in
the Evaluate tab. The confidence threshold is the confidence level that
the model must have for it to assign a class or label to a test item. As you
adjust the threshold, you can see how your model's precision and recall
changes. Higher thresholds typically increase precision and lower recall.
Example batch prediction output
Batch AutoML image classification prediction output are stored as
JSON Lines
files in Cloud Storage buckets. Each line of the JSON Lines file
contains all annotation (label) categories and their corresponding
confidence scores for a single image file.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Hard to understand","hardToUnderstand","thumb-down"],["Incorrect information or sample code","incorrectInformationOrSampleCode","thumb-down"],["Missing the information/samples I need","missingTheInformationSamplesINeed","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-08-28 UTC."],[],[],null,["# Interpret prediction results from image classification models\n\nAfter requesting a prediction, Vertex AI returns results based on your model's objective. AutoML single-label image classification predictions return a single label category and its corresponding confidence score. Multi- label classification predictions return multiple label categories and their corresponding confidence scores.\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n\nThe confidence score communicates how strongly your model associates each\nclass or label with a test item. The higher the number, the higher the model's\nconfidence that the label should be applied to that item. You decide how high\nthe confidence score must be for you to accept the model's results.\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n#### Score threshold slider\n\n\nIn the Google Cloud console, Vertex AI provides a slider that's\nused to adjust the confidence threshold for all classes or labels, or an\nindividual class or label. The slider is available on a model's detail page in\nthe **Evaluate** tab. The confidence threshold is the confidence level that\nthe model must have for it to assign a class or label to a test item. As you\nadjust the threshold, you can see how your model's precision and recall\nchanges. Higher thresholds typically increase precision and lower recall.\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n#### Example batch prediction output\n\nBatch AutoML image classification prediction output are stored as\n[JSON Lines](https://jsonlines.org/)\nfiles in Cloud Storage buckets. Each line of the JSON Lines file\ncontains all annotation (label) categories and their corresponding\nconfidence scores for a single image file.\n\n\n| **Note**: The following JSON Lines example includes line breaks for\n| readability. In your JSON Lines files, line breaks are included only after each\n| each JSON object.\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n\n```\n{\n \"instance\": {\"content\": \"gs://bucket/image.jpg\", \"mimeType\": \"image/jpeg\"},\n \"prediction\": {\n \"ids\": [1, 2],\n \"displayNames\": [\"cat\", \"dog\"],\n \"confidences\": [0.7, 0.5]\n }\n}\n```"]]