The cooperation between AI Talent Hub and X5

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X5 Tech, an IT company within X5 Group, has launched an artificial intelligence lab based on AI Talent Hub, an ML Master's program from ITMO and Napoleon IT. The lab is being organized with the aim of developing AI-based products and training ML and DS specialists capable of setting and solving applied problems in the field of artificial intelligence in retail.

Already in the first stream, students will be offered to create MVP products using artificial intelligence technologies. In particular, such tasks as creating a geodata analytics system, el salvador whatsapp resource a multi-camera customer path tracker for optimal CVM, generative network models for working with customer reviews in the online and offline environment for working with NPS and sales, creating a store model for processing cases based on A/B testing principles will be developed. X5 will provide infrastructure support for projects in a real IT environment. All rights to industry and commercial products and developments created in the laboratory remain with X5.

will be long-term, with 10 highly qualified specialists graduating annually within the joint program. The department's teachers will be both X5 employees and the AI ​​Talent Hub scientific staff - practicing industry specialists at the Senior, TechLead, TeamLead levels.

X5, together with AI Talent Hub, is creating an educational program and integrating its own courses from the School of Data Analysts, including data analysis, machine learning, and data engineering. Students will get acquainted with the company's technology stack, mentors, and corporate culture.

X5 and ITMO jointly finance the laboratory's work. X5 also participates in a scholarship program to support students. Based on the results of their training, young specialists can get an internship, and middle-level engineers have the opportunity to find employment in the company through the fast-track system.

The selection for the X5 AI Lab will begin in September 2023. Admission requires a good knowledge of Python, high technical literacy (algorithmic basis), understanding of the basics of machine learning and deep learning, and a desire to deal with the engineering and infrastructure side of a business problem.

"The X5 AI Solutions Lab at ITMO University is a space where talented Master's students create relevant products based on cutting-edge developments involving artificial intelligence. The joint program will allow students to test their knowledge and ideas in real business, and for the company - to get new approaches to solving problems, to strengthen the R&D component in everyday work. We believe that motivated specialists ready to offer their vision of digital products will help us create a new retail that will improve the lives of millions of customers," comments Mikhail Neverov, Director of Data Analysis at X5 Group.

"For the development of our AI Talent Hub community and master's students, it is extremely important to launch project-product formats together with strong partners. We surprisingly coincided with the X5 Tech team in values ​​and understanding of how the project track in the master's program should be organized in order to provide a boost in the development of data analysts and ML engineers through involvement in research and product development for the retail sector. And the best motivation for achievements for the guys here will be the opportunity to bring their ML developments into production under the guidance of mentors from X5," said Dmitry Botov, head of the AI ​​Talent Hub project and the master's program "Artificial Intelligence" at ITMO.

"The retail industry is undergoing a revolution caused by the use of advanced technologies for data generation and analysis. AI Talent Hub masters have the opportunity to take part in shaping the future of retail together with professionals and leaders from X5," said Pavel Podkorytov, co-founder of AI Talent Hub and Napoleon IT.

Every year, ITMO University and its partners conduct more than 100 courses on ML engineering, data analytics, project and product management in DS. 90% of the university's teachers and mentors are experts from leading IT companies, research centers, and the ODS community. This approach allows us to create an individual educational track for a master's student that meets current business requirements.