A machine-learning (ML) error-correcting code (ECC) controller may include a hard-decision (HD) ECC decoder optimized for high-speed data throughput, a soft-decision (SD) ECC decoder optimized for high-correctability data throughput, and a machine-learning equalizer (MLE) configured to variably select one of the HD ECC decoder or the SD ECC decoder for data throughput. An embodiment of the ML ECC controller may provide speed-optimized HD throughput based on a linear ECC. The linear ECC may be a soft Hamming permutation code (SHPC).