On May 8th, 2024, the DataSphere Lab at ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ, in partnership with the Desautels Faculty of Management and the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, hosted an insightful workshop focused on cutting-edge AI solutions for the retail sector. This event was a significant success, thanks to the enthusiastic participation of attendees and registrants.
The workshop provided an in-depth exploration of advanced data and AI solutions tailored specifically for companies in the retail sector. Attendees gained valuable insights into how these technologies can transform their businesses and drive growth.
Photo: Shoeb Hosain, Director of the DataSphere Lab, presented the Marketing Mix Model (MMM) accelerator, highlighting its benefits such as cross-platform consistency, high-speed deployment, and scalability at the Discovering AI Use Cases Workshop.
AI Accelerators
One of the key initiatives introduced during the workshop was the concept of AI accelerators. The DataSphere Lab aims to empower SMEs with turnkey AI solutions designed to address industry use cases and common pain points. Our first accelerator, the Marketing Mix Model (MMM), was showcased as a prime example. This model estimates the impact of marketing campaigns on sales, offering cross-platform consistency, high-speed deployment, and scalability, all developed with synthetic data.
What We Offer
- Empower SMEs
We leverage synthetic data to deliver accelerators that should satisfy 70-80% of use case needs out-of-the-box. - Three Phases
Simple, Medium, and Sophisticated phases for comprehensive solutions.
Workshop Objectives and Outcomes
Participants worked together to identify valuable AI accelerators for Quebec retail SMEs, developing project ideas for collaboration with the DataSphere Lab.
The Keynote speaker, Matthieu Houle, CIO of the Aldo Group, shared his insights on AI implementation in retail. This was complemented by technical presentations from the DataSphere Lab, showcasing ongoing projects and the infrastructure of the accelerator alongside tangible examples of AI in action.
Photo: Matthieu Houle, CIO of the Aldo Group, presented the AI-sthetics project, highlighting the significant impact of AI implementation in the retail sector during the workshop.
One of the highlights of the workshop was the personalized hands-on sessions. Attendees had the unique opportunity to engage directly with leaders from the DataSphere Lab, discussing their specific business pain points and AI needs. These interactive sessions allowed participants to gain tailored insights and practical advice on leveraging AI to address their unique challenges and drive business growth.
Photo: Attendees actively engaged in the workshop’s interactive elements
Next Steps
The DataSphere Lab is committed to developing innovative AI projects with the expertise of its professors and students. Leveraging Cloud and Hybrid architecture, these projects aim to deliver substantial value to Quebec businesses.
For those who missed this event, there will be more opportunities to engage with the DataSphere Lab. to stay updated on future events and workshops. Thank you once again to everyone who contributed to making this workshop a success!