Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) is critical during the initial stages of AI model development. According to the AAIA™ Study Guide, performing EDA—including identifying null values, incorrect data types, or duplicates—ensures that the data fed into the model is clean and reliable.

“Initial data frames should be subject to thorough EDA to uncover data quality issues. These issues, if not addressed early, can severely affect model training and predictive accuracy.”

While separating data sets (B) and visualizations (A) are important steps in later phases, C is foundational to ensure readiness for model training. Risk assessments (D) are necessary but not the first operational step.