Shilpa Ranganathan

Is Gen AI hype or real? Hosting a panel of experts from Amazon ( Thank you- Muthu Muthukrishnan, Jeetu Mirchandani, Mukesh Karki, Anand Rathi) in AWS Fintech summit to talk about building enterprise Gen AI solutions and applying Gen AI at scale was an honor. We discussed potential, technological challenges, including hallucinations and accuracy, cost, and go-to-market plans for AWS, Advertising, Stores, and the AGI space. #GenAI #ArtificialIntelligence #AWS #FintechSummit

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🚀 I'm excited to share this week's edition of Fabric Digest! If you're passionate about Microsoft Fabric, you won't want to miss the deep dive into Optimized Writes in a Spark Notebook that we’re featuring. Plus, I’ve included a step-by-step tutorial on using configuration files for dynamic Data Pipelines, a Reddit JSON API challenge, and much more. Whether you're already working with Microsoft's Fabric data platform or eager to learn, this issue is packed with insights to elevate your expertise. Don’t forget to subscribe to stay ahead in the world of data. #MicrosoftFabric #DataScience #BusinessIntelligence #PowerBI https://lnkd.in/eZCifyVu

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I've spent multiple semesters in the SAC and learned a lot about my own investment thesis, learning the mechanics of investing and meeting fascinating startups! If you're on the fence about angel investing, this is a good starting point

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Have you ever heard of a $20 cup of coffee? The Ain't Normal Cafe in Oakland is serving up just that. This reminded me of Madhavan Ramanujam's talk on value-based pricing. He asks the audience if they like coffee, then how about at $20 to reinforce the idea. According to a recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle, there's one lingering question: Can a $20 cup of coffee ever be worth it? Well, that depends on who you ask :) Check out the article and let us know your thoughts! #Pricing #ValueBasedPricing #Coffee #AintNormalCafe

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𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗝𝗼𝗯𝘀: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀  The 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘑𝘰𝘣𝘴 biography by Walter Isaacson highlights how transformative a dedication to detail can be in building iconic products. Jobs was relentless about the small things – the often-overlooked details he believed were essential to a product’s soul. Take, for instance, his insistence on a slot-loading CD/DVD drive for the iMac instead of the traditional tray. For Jobs, this wasn’t just an aesthetic choice but a statement of simplicity and elegance. He felt users would sense this refinement, even unconsciously. It’s a reminder that what might seem minor can ultimately shape a product’s perception and feel. This meticulous attention extended across everything Apple created. Jobs was known to care about typefaces, button layouts, and even the arrangement of circuit boards inside devices, setting a standard that every touchpoint should be crafted with care and intention. In software, he pushed for fluid animations and subtle sounds that felt intuitive, creating harmony between user and product. But his focus wasn’t only on the details – he believed in building fully integrated experiences. Apple’s software ecosystem is a perfect example. Consider how iMessage, FaceTime, and AirDrop work seamlessly across devices. This seamless integration wasn’t accidental; it was a result of careful planning where every piece was designed to complement the others, allowing users to switch effortlessly between devices. Another example is iCloud, which connects photos, documents, and apps across devices in real-time, giving users a sense of continuity and connection. For software and digital products, these principles are powerful. Imagine creating an experience that doesn’t just optimize each part but feels unified end-to-end. Integrating design and functionality seamlessly – from backend processes to front-end interfaces and customer support – can turn a functional product into a memorable one. And paying close attention to the details, like smooth transitions or well-paced loading speeds, often makes the difference between a good experience and a great one. Jobs’ approach reminds us that a product’s magic often lies in the fine details and the effort to build an experience that feels complete, connected, and crafted with intention. #ProductDesign #CraftingExperiences #LeadershipLessons

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As technologists, we bear the crucial task of steering technology towards ethical usage. I am encouraged by the proactive measures Thorn, along with Amazon and other AI leaders, is implementing to establish safeguards in generative AI. The Safety by Design principles set essential standards to counter risks such as CSAM and AIG-CSAM, ensuring the safety of children. Learn more about these principles here: https://lnkd.in/e6XvQAVz

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Stay ahead of the competition with an AI center of excellence. Learn how to gain the right #AI resources, skills, and strategies: https://lnkd.in/eArUqqgd

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I am excited to share the latest blog, co-authored by myself, Junhwi Kim and Vyas Sekar, detailing how we managed to successfully localized and improved LLM by combining Fine-Tuning and RAG. https://lnkd.in/gKDkgGPq

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AI Appreciation Day is here and I am thrilled to share the excitement it brings us as we reflect on the transformative impact AI has on our daily lives and work. AI for us, is not just a buzzword—it's the heartbeat of innovation, driving us to new heights and redefining possibilities. At Smytten Pulse, we leverage AI to understand our consumers better, personalize experiences, and deliver insights that fuel informed decisions. What excites me most about AI is its ability to learn and evolve. It’s like having a team member that never stops growing! With every interaction and data point, our AI systems become smarter, more intuitive, and more aligned with our goals. This dynamic capability empowers us to stay ahead of trends and continuously improve our offerings. 🚀 One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is witnessing the synergy between our talented engineers and AI. The collaboration fosters creativity, problem-solving, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Together, we are not just building technology; we are shaping the future. On this AI Appreciation Day, I want to extend my gratitude to our team at Smytten Pulse and the incredible AI community. Let’s continue to push boundaries, embrace challenges, and unlock the full potential of AI. Here’s to a future where AI and human ingenuity go hand in hand! 🙌 https://pulse.smytten.com/ Smytten Pulse #AIAppreciationDay #AIInnovation #EngineeringExcellence #SmyttenPulse #FutureForward

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For #WHM in March, we talked to ApertureData CEO Vishakha Gupta about empowering #womenintech! Learn how to break barriers, build inclusive spaces, and achieve your dreams. →

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Business leaders are looking to Microsoft to understand how #Copilot and agents will transform work—and we want to help. As an engineering leader who supports our sales organization, I’m looking to drive more revenue, so we’re leveraging AI and Copilot across our teams to help increase the pipeline and deal velocity, improve conversion rates, and ultimately improve the seller experience. But that’s just the beginning. We see Agents as being game changers for the sales function. We will have autonomous agents prospect and qualify leads at scale on behalf of sellers and help make them more productive and effective. Discover on #WorkLab how AI can future-proof your organization and keep you ahead of the curve. #AI #Sales #Innovation #Microsoft #FutureOfWork https://lnkd.in/gmJUbn2N

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“"It's not just about sending emails… but communicating effectively with customers."" -- says Sharmeelee Bala, Chief Information Officer and Head of Product Management at JCPenney in this episode of Technovation with Peter High who interviews Bala to explore how she is enhancing customer engagement and the transformative role AI plays in this process. Customer loyalty is a key metric for success in retail, prompting companies to leverage AI to optimize customer engagement. Highlights include: Customer-Centric Innovation:  -- Sharmeelee discusses how JCPenney creates seamless experiences tailored to customer preferences. AI and Data Strategy:  -- She explains the role of clean, consolidated data in improving decision-making and how AI augments both employee productivity and customer insights. Next-Gen POS Systems:  -- Learn about JCPenney’s mobile-first POS systems pilot, designed to enhance in-store shopping experiences. Loyalty Program Relaunch:  -- The revamped rewards program strengthens customer engagement with benefits like “Cash Passes.” Retail from the Customer Perspective:  -- Sharmeelee shares how her personal experience as a customer informs her leadership in retail innovation. Sharmeelee Bala is the Chief Information Officer and Head of Product Management at JCPenney. With nearly three years in this role, she oversees the company's technology operations, including security, e-commerce, and product management, while driving its digital transformation. Previously, she held leadership roles at Walmart and Gap, bringing extensive experience in retail technology innovation. Passionate about enhancing customer experiences, Sharmeelee combines data-driven decision-making with cutting-edge technology to create value for both the business and its customers. https://lnkd.in/gekyaYZw

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Kapil Khangaonkar, CEO of Clodura.AI, shares how Google Cloud fueled their growth: 71% less tech debt, 12x faster app delivery, & significant customer growth. 🚀 Ready to transform your startup? The Google for Startups Cloud Program now offers new benefits for AI startups, giving you the technology and resources to build easily. Take advantage of our open AI ecosystem and tap into the best of Google’s infrastructure, AI products, and foundation models.   Sign up today and unlock your startup's potential! #startups #cloud #GoogleCloud #CloduraAI #techstartup #startuplife #AI #buildwithAI #GoogleAI #GoogleforStartups #GoogleCloudforStartups https://goo.gle/GFSCP_CS Clodura.AI Google for Startups

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Kapil Khangaonkar, CEO of Clodura.AI, shares how Google Cloud fueled their growth: 71% less tech debt, 12x faster app delivery, & significant customer growth. 🚀 Ready to transform your startup? The Google for Startups Cloud Program now offers new benefits for AI startups, giving you the technology and resources to build easily. Take advantage of our open AI ecosystem and tap into the best of Google’s infrastructure, AI products, and foundation models.   Sign up today and unlock your startup's potential! #startups #cloud #GoogleCloud #CloduraAI #techstartup #startuplife #AI #buildwithAI #GoogleAI #GoogleforStartups #GoogleCloudforStartups https://goo.gle/GFSCP_CS Clodura.AI Google for Startups

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Thats the exact explanation I gave to a group of investors last week. (… it’s just Precision/Recall, attributes vectorization as “embedding”, K-Nearest Neighbor, User Search Intent, DAG, ML algorithms, etc all over again …). LOL and they asked what’s new this time around. And I was like not much, ML is still the backbone, and AI is the inference and actions based on the model. It works better when there is a feedback loop in a closed system. But the current state of the art like ChatGPT is based on scraping the Internet (garbage in, garbage out). Kinda like early search engines. What is a better analogy is that NVIDIA/Snowflake etc are selling tools, aka pickaxes to prospectors. The gold is up to you to find. And the opportunity right now is to monetize industry specific (healthcare, travel, financial services) clean data to build models with (aka a treasure map for the prospectors). From an enterprise perspective, what’s out there today aka generative AI isn’t very useful. Too much hype. To build useful engines will require an effort similar to search revolution 2 decades ago. From

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Yesterday, I visited the Corcovado Train in Rio, Brazil, and saw how poor communication can really mess things up at work. Leaders made sudden decisions without telling anyone, which left everyone confused. Different team members had different information, causing chaos. New policies were created randomly, and managers gave orders without explaining them, leading to blind compliance and confusion among tourists. It's shocking how bad communication can disrupt everything. I'm considering writing about it! #WorkplaceCommunication #Leadership #Teamwork

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A very timely and Insightful read from #hbr !! Tech is changing at a break-neck speed, product lifecycles are becoming shorter, and along with that, new challenges are coming up on the people management front as well. Today’s leader needs to experiment, fail fast, adopt and adapt faster and still keep the business moving in the positive direction. Go through this informative article and let us know some of the best practices that have worked for you in balancing the “traditional” techniques of mgmt with “emerging” needs.

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