Improve interoperability of Pipelines - P5 #1586

Is your feature request related to a problem? If so, Please describe.
There is a growing need within NOAA to move everything to the cloud and the result of that has initiated a push to using Vertex AI as the most efficient way to run our predictions; however we will need to work with Kitware on setting up an interoperable pipeline that vertex AI can use.

Describe the solution you'd like
Improve interoperability and reusability in all aspects of the data processing pipeline, including using API-first design to facilitate import/export of models and data, and use of non-local prediction/data sources.

Describe alternatives you've considered

Additional context
Please work with Matt C on this request. This is a feature that will depend on the timeline of the OCIO contract. We are to begin working with them again soon (todays date 1/27/26) and they will need Kitware's help but we don't know the exact timeline of when yet. This is still a high-priority issue, it just may need to get bumped down or up depending on where the folks at OCIO are at in their process. I apologize for the floating timeline on this one. @csbrown-noaa