Can I build AI or machine learning apps in C# like I can in Python?

 Yes, you can develop AI applications in C#, and many developers do—especially those working in enterprise, desktop, or game development environments. While Python is the most popular language for AI due to its rich ecosystem of libraries, C# has solid support for AI and ML through various tools and integrations.

✅ Ways to Develop AI Applications in C#

1. ML.NET – Microsoft's Machine Learning Framework

• A fully open-source and cross-platform machine learning framework developed by Microsoft.

• Lets you train, evaluate, and deploy custom ML models in C# without leaving .NET.

• Great for common ML tasks: classification, regression, recommendation, anomaly detection, etc.

Example use cases: Predict customer churn, detect spam, recommend products.

📌 ML.NET Official Site

📌 Getting Started with Machine Learning in .NET

2. Infer.NET – Probabilistic Programming by Microsoft

• Useful for building custom Bayesian models.

• More advanced and flexible than ML.NET but less beginner-friendly.

• Now open-source and integrated into .NET.

3. Integrate with Python Libraries via Interop

• You can call Python scripts from C# using tools like:

  • IronPython (limited support)

  • Python.NET

  • Process-based interop (e.g., Process.Start("python", "script.py"))

• Best for using advanced models (like deep learning or LLMs) built in TensorFlow or PyTorch.

4. Use ONNX Runtime in C#

• ONNX (Open Neural Network Exchange) allows you to run pre-trained models from PyTorch, TensorFlow, etc.

• The ONNX Runtime has a C# API.

• Ideal for inference in production environments (e.g., making predictions in a .NET web app).

📌 ONNX Runtime for .NET

5. Azure Cognitive Services

• Easy way to integrate AI via REST APIs or C# SDKs.

• Services include: vision, speech, translation, sentiment analysis, and more.

• No need to build or train models—just use ready-made intelligent APIs.

6. Unity Game AI with C#

• If you're building games in Unity (which uses C#), you can create:

  • NPC behavior with Finite State Machines or Behavior Trees

  • Pathfinding with A*

  • Reinforcement learning integrations (via Python or Unity ML-Agents)

When to Use C# for AI

✅ Good for:

• Enterprise apps
• .NET web or desktop apps
• Games (Unity)
• AI model inference
• Custom ML solutions in .NET environments

❌ Not ideal for:

• Training deep learning models (use Python instead)
• Using cutting-edge AI tools that don’t support .NET yet

📌 Here is a detailed article on What Can C# Do For You

Summary

Use Python for training, C# for deploying.
Yes, you can build ML apps in C#, and it's getting easier with ML.NET, ONNX, and Azure.