Methods, apparatus, and processor-readable storage media for identifying and remediating anomalies through cognitively assorted machine learning algorithms are provided herein. A computer-implemented method includes: identifying, using system log data, a target variable based at least in part on correlations between a set of performance indicators of a system and the target variable, and threshold values for the performance indicators relative to the target variable; generating an inference model to predict when the system will enter an adverse state and identify one or more root causes of the system entering the adverse state; using machine reinforcement learning to determine an action policy including actions that remediate the adverse state; predicting that the system will enter the adverse state by applying the inference model to further system log data; and automatically executing one or more actions of the action policy in response to the prediction.