This document relates to training of machine learning models such as neural networks. One example method involves providing a machine learning model having one or more layers and associated parameters and performing a pretraining stage on the parameters of the machine learning model to obtain pretrained parameters. The example method also involves performing a tuning stage on the machine learning model by using labeled training samples to tune the pretrained parameters. The tuning stage can include performing noise adjustment of the labeled training examples to obtain noise-adjusted training samples. The tuning stage can also include adjusting the pretrained parameters based at least on the labeled training examples and the noise-adjusted training examples to obtain adapted parameters. The example method can also include outputting a tuned machine learning model having the adapted parameters.