This disclosure describes techniques that include using an automatically trained machine learning system to generate a prediction. In one example, this disclosure describes a method comprising: based on a request for the prediction: training each respective machine learning (ML) model in a plurality of ML models to generate a respective training-phase prediction in a plurality of training-phase predictions; automatically determining a selected ML model in the plurality of ML models based on evaluation metrics for the plurality of ML; and applying the selected ML model to generate the prediction based on data collected from a network that includes a plurality of network devices.