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Platform For AI:Get started with PAI

Last Updated:May 27, 2026

Learn how to activate PAI, explore its core modules, and follow typical AI development workflows.

1. Activate PAI

Log on to the PAI console, select a region in the upper-left corner, and click Activate. A default workspace is created automatically.

We recommend that you use an Alibaba Cloud account to activate PAI. This prevents activation failures caused by a lack of the AliyunPAIFullAccess permission.

2. Get started

  1. Start with a single module. Choose one from the table below based on your needs.

  2. Read the module's quick start guide to learn the basics through examples.

  3. Explore the module's user guide for detailed features and best practices.

    Click a module name in the Feature module column to open its user guide.

Feature module

Description

Quick start

DSW

Cloud-based IDE (an instance) for AI development. Supports Notebook and VSCode interfaces.

DSW Quick Start

Designer

Offers 140+ built-in algorithm components for low-code, drag-and-drop model building.

Designer Quick Start

DLC

Creates distributed or single-node training jobs without manual machine provisioning or environment setup. Mirrors the local training experience.

DLC Quick Start

EAS

Deploys trained models as online inference services with minimal configuration.

EAS Quick Start

Model Gallery

Trains and deploys open-source large models through DLC and EAS without code.

Model Gallery Quick Start

3. Get help

Find common questions and solutions for PAI modules in the following FAQ documents.

DSW FAQ

EAS FAQ

DLC FAQ

Model Gallery FAQ

iTAG FAQ

Designer FAQ

Billing FAQ

PAI ArtLab FAQ

4. AI development workflows

PAI covers the full AI lifecycle: data preparation, model training, and deployment. Two typical workflows are described below.

Cloud-native AI development

image

Step

Description

Documentation

Centrally manage local, cloud, and public datasets as training data sources.

Manage datasets

Cloud-based IDE (an instance) for AI development. Supports Notebook and VSCode interfaces.

Create a DSW instance

Images provide runtime environments. PAI manages both official public images and custom images centrally.

Manage images

After you develop and test model code in DSW, use DLC to run training jobs more efficiently and cost-effectively.

Create a DLC training job

Mount file systems (NAS, OSS) and Git repositories to specify data and code for training jobs.

Manage code

Centrally manage trained models and deploy them directly through EAS.

Manage models

Deploy trained models as online inference services through EAS.

Deploy a model service by using EAS

AI and big data development

image

Step

Description

Documentation

If you use MaxCompute to store data, preprocess the data in DataWorks and then reference the MaxCompute table in PAI as a training data source.

General data development

Offers 140+ built-in algorithm components for low-code, drag-and-drop model building.

Designer

Use DataWorks to configure and run periodic scheduling jobs.

Configure node scheduling

Records execution details for Designer experiments and custom jobs for comparison and analysis.

Manage tasks

Centrally manage trained models and deploy them directly through EAS.

Register and manage models

Deploy trained models as online inference services through EAS.

Deploy a model service by using EAS

FAQ

Activation permission issue

A: Do one of the following:

Q: Why do I receive the error message Create order error: message is Your account's available credit is less than 0. Please top up your account before trying to purchase. productRequestId is *** when I enable PAI?

A: Go to User Center to view your bills and pay any outstanding fees. Then, reactivate PAI.

Q: An error occurred: Create order error: message is Pre-order validation failed productRequestId is 8F5?

A: Insufficient permissions. Use an Alibaba Cloud account or a RAM user with the AliyunPAIFullAccess permission.