The TWIML AI Podcast (formerly This Week in Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence) Scaling AI at H&M Group with Errol Koolmeister - #503
Jul 22, 2021
Errol Koolmeister, head of AI Foundation at H&M Group, shares insights on the fashion retail giant's transformative AI journey. He discusses implementing AI for fashion forecasting and pricing, emphasizing the significance of data accessibility and stakeholder engagement. Highlighting the challenges of scaling AI, Errol explains the importance of balancing simplicity with complexity in modeling. He also addresses managing AI initiatives within a large organization, focusing on building a robust infrastructure and fostering an 'AI-first' culture.
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From Finance to AI
- Errol Koolmeister's AI journey began 15 years ago in fraud analysis at Nordea Bank.
- He transitioned from finance to data science, working with Hadoop, Spark, and eventually leading AI efforts at Vodafone and H&M Group.
H&M's AI Journey
- H&M Group's AI adoption began around 2016, driven by a CEO inquiry about their AI strategy.
- Early proof-of-concept projects demonstrated quick ROI, leading to the establishment of a dedicated AI function in 2018.
Scaling AI
- When scaling AI, prioritize communication to attract talent and build excitement.
- Focus on streamlining technology and architecture, starting with simple, scalable solutions.