Traditional machine learning algorithms use data from databases that are
mutable, and therefore the data cannot be fully trusted. Also, the machine
learning process is difficult to automate. This paper proposes building a
trustable machine learning system by using blockchain technology, which can
store data in a permanent and immutable way. In addition, smart contracts are
used to automate the machine learning process. This paper makes three
contributions. First, it establishes a link between machine learning technology
and blockchain technology. Previously, machine learning and blockchain have
been considered two independent technologies without an obvious link. Second,
it proposes a unified analytical framework for trustable machine learning by
using blockchain technology. This unified framework solves both the
trustability and automation issues in machine learning. Third, it enables a
computer to translate core machine learning implementation from a single thread
on a single machine to multiple threads on multiple machines running with
blockchain by using a unified approach. The paper uses association rule mining
as an example to demonstrate how trustable machine learning can be implemented
with blockchain, and it shows how this approach can be used to analyze opioid
prescriptions to help combat the opioid crisis.