“We don’t know much about how non-experts in machine learning come to learn algorithmic tools,” said Swati Mishra, the PhD candidate who led the study. “The reason is that there’s a hype that’s developed that suggests machine learning is for the ordained.”

As machine learning has penetrated all sorts of industries populated by people without computing expertise, the need for effective tools to enable new users in leveraging AI is unprecedented, she argued. While existing research has mostly focused on understanding users and their challenges when navigating AI tools, this research approaches the challenge from the opposite direction: how can a system be designed such that users with limited algorithmic expertise but considerable domain expertise learn to integrate existing models into their work?

“When you do a task, you know what parts need manual fixing and what needs automation,” said Mishra. “If we design machine-learning tools correctly and give...