Big Data AI & Tech For Good

Big Data , AI & Tech FOR GOOD

The Many Faces of Artificial Intelligence

AI is changing the world for good, but it also comes with considerable concerns and controversies that must be addressed.

As artificial intelligence grows to become mainstream around the world, the need for building trustworthy AI systems has become paramount. With emerging technology like AI, key factors such as privacy, fairness, safety, transparency, inclusiveness, and accountability need to be taken into consideration. As we look ahead, one thing becomes clear: AI will be celebrated for its benefits but also scrutinized and, to some degree, feared.

In conversation with John Weigelt, National Technology Officer at Microsoft Canada, Ulrike Bahr-Gedalia, Senior Director of Digital Economy, Technology, and Innovation at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, takes a closer look at how AI can benefit everyone and be developed and used in ways that warrant people’s trust. With facial recognition becoming more widespread, Weigelt and Bahr-Gedalia discuss the concerns about the dangers of the technology and the controversies surrounding it. They also weigh the positive use cases for facial recognition against growing societal concerns, especially as regulators have yet to provide clear rules.

ULRIKE BAHR-GEDALIA: What is the biggest challenge we face when it comes to emerging technologies such as AI?

JOHN WEIGELT: I’m excited about the possibility of AI augmenting and amplifying human ingenuity to create great breakthroughs and advances. However, while there’s great potential for technology to help address society's biggest issues, the pace of this change is also raising new challenges and amplifying existing inequities in our communities.

I believe that one of the biggest hurdles we face when it comes to AI is ensuring that there are the proper guardrails and frameworks put in place for AI systems. As Microsoft’s Presi-

dent, Brad Smith, has said, “Information technology has become both a powerful tool and a formidable weapon, creating a set of challenges with no pre-existing playbook.”

The need for strong advocacy, collaboration, and government intervention has never been more important.

I firmly believe that if you develop technology that has the potential to change the world, you bear a responsibility to help address the world you’ve helped to create.

UBG: How does Canada fare globally when it comes to a comprehensive AI regulatory regime and the development of responsive frameworks for regulating AI?

JW: In my view, emerging technologies like AI require a legal floor of responsibility governed by the rule of law. It’s important for governments to frame laws to regulate this technology. Unless we act, we risk waking up five years from now to find that facial recognition services have spread in ways that exacerbate societal issues.

In Canada, we’re doing a lot of work with the government to help advocate for the need for an updated policy. Our fundamental belief is that for AI to benefit everyone and change the world, it must be developed and used in

ways that warrant people’s trust.

UBG: What about the responsibility of the private sector?

JW: As AI systems become more mainstream, we have a shared responsibility as a society to create trusted AI systems, and we need to work together to reach a consensus on what principles and values should govern AI development and its use.

Microsoft was one of the first major technology companies to call for thoughtful government regulation on facial recognition technology because we believe a technology as powerful as this requires both the public and private sectors to develop norms around acceptable use.

We supported regulations that would apply to all providers of facial recognition services, including our own. In addition, we've applied advanced facial regulation proposals to our own business as a matter of self-regulation. This is the type of action and collaboration we need cross-sector.

UBG: Do you have any recommendations for Canadian businesses considering integrating AI into their business processes?

JW: I firmly believe that if you develop technology that has the potential to change the world, you bear a responsibility to help address the world you’ve helped to create.

My advice would be to proactively establish guardrails for AI systems so that you can make sure that any risks are anticipated and mitigated, and benefits are maximized. I would encourage businesses to review Microsoft’s AI principles to ensure that AI systems are fair, reliable and safe, private and secure, inclusive, transparent, and accountable.

AI is a defining technology of our time, and we’re optimistic about what AI can do for people, industry, and society — now and in the future. But we need to get it right the first time.

This article was made possible with support from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

To learn more about the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s approach to the digital economy, visit chamber.ca/ committee/digitaleconomy-committee

Ulrike Bahr-Gedalia Senior Director of Digital Economy, Technology, and Innovation, Canadian Chamber of Commerce

John Weigelt National Technology Officer, Microsoft Canada

dramatically.

— and that they benefit the planet itself.

As the information age flourishes into an era of ubiquitous AI, the potential for transformative technological change is boundless. We’re looking at a shift as profound as the Industrial Revolution, with human capabilities augmented by increasingly more intelligent machines. We live in a world that is being reinvented, and so a great responsibility rests on the shoulders of the inventors.

Artificial intelligence — the ability of machines to learn, reason, and react in ways that are similar to humans — is not new. The earliest AI systems were created decades ago, and they’ve been iterated and innovated upon ever since. Today, however, a confluence of factors (faster computing, widespread interconnectivity, and the availability of enormous datasets for training) is creating an environment where AI can truly thrive.

A huge opportunity — but for whom? AI is shaping up to be the defining technology of our time and the transformation has already begun. There are a lot of big questions. Perhaps the biggest of all is: who benefits?

“As AI systems get more sophisticated and start to play a larger role in people’s lives, we must ensure the technology we create benefits everyone on the planet, as well as the planet itself,” says John Weigelt, National Technology Officer at Microsoft Canada.

“There’s a huge opportunity to leverage AI for social good, to empower others in new and more impactful ways to help create a more sustainable, inclusive, and accessible world. A fundamental aspect of our AI for Good initiative is pairing the adoption of trusted best-in-class AI technology with dedicated groups from around the world to help solve some of the most challenging societal issues.”

As established leaders in the AI space, Microsoft has a solemn understanding of the responsibility shouldered by trailblazers. Across its five AI for Good initiatives — AI for Earth, AI for Accessibility, AI for Humanitar-

ian Action, AI for Cultural Heritage, and AI for Health — it has invested $165 million over the course of five years, with the hopes that this investment will reverberate and expand into new initiatives and new investments.

Business is just the beginning

So often we think of artificial intelligence as a tool of business, something to be used in pursuit of cost efficiency or marketing efficacy. But these same technologies are also compiling and preserving historical artifacts. They’re equally as effective at optimizing the distribution of aid in volatile areas of the world. And they’re indispensable in the creation of accurate and informative climate change models. The applications are endless and each one is a unique microcosm of the power and adaptability of AI.

In Northern Canada, Microsoft is working with the Government of Nunavut to preserve Indigenous languages and has added the Inuktitut text translation to Microsoft Translator. This addition will allow users to translate any of the more than 70 languages to or from Inuktitut, the primary dialect of the Inuktut language.

In British Columbia, BC Cancer is using machine learning to gather data on specific cancer types for drug pairings.

“This highly effective method creates a lot of data,” explains Weigelt. “Recently, the lab moved most of its genome database to Microsoft Azure to gain the computational power, security, and compliance it needed to process the valuable data that will lead to cancer treatments and breakthroughs.”

Meanwhile, the City of Calgary and Evergreen are piloting AI for the Resilient City, an AI data visualization tool to help municipalities evaluate infrastructure for climate resiliency and mitigating the impacts of climate change. “One of the largest untapped potentials of AI is sustainability,” says Weigelt. “We know AI and the power of cloud computing will be key to reversing the impacts of climate change as they enable innovators to collect, process, and analyze data at a scale and speed that was previously

unimaginable. This enables innovations like the Planetary Computer, a project that provides access to trillions of data points to the world to better understand the challenges faced in planetary health.”

And in Quebec, the City of Laval is transforming its 311 non-emergency response system with an AI virtual agent that’s expediting citizen-agent interactions and answering the more basic inquiries on its own. “By eliminating the clerical task of entering the request in the system, the virtual agent is reducing wait times,” says Weigelt. “It’s also allowing city employees to respond to complex requests sooner.”

Empower and augment

When innovation happens responsibly, as it is here, we don’t need to be afraid that AI will replace us. It can, instead, make us better. “At Microsoft, we’re focused on responsibly creating AI that will augment the workforce,” says Weigelt. “We view AI as a tool that will enable people to achieve greater productivity and growth — not stifle it. Advancements in AI will create new jobs that didn’t exist before, or that we didn’t even imagine could exist.”

The world today is facing incredible challenges, too large for any one individual, organization, or even nation to tackle alone. At the same time, we’re faced with a digital revolution poised to facilitate achievement and collaboration on an incredible scale. So, as we’re imagining the world transformed by artificial intelligence, let us have the courage to imagine it better. We’re on the cusp of an entirely new way of working, living, and being, empowered by technologies that can bring us together and make us more than we ever were before. The lengths of what we can achieve through this transfiguration are limited only by the standards to which we hold those leading the way.

There’s a huge opportunity to leverage AI for social good, to empower others in new and more impactful ways to help create a more sustainable, inclusive, and accessible world.

The World Is Being Transformed by AI. We Get to Decide Into What.

AI is already changing the world

It’s up to us to ensure that those changes benefit everyone on the planet

John Weigelt National Technology Officer, Microsoft Canada

Using AI and Big Data to Bring Retailers Into the Digital Age

Times have been tough for retailers lately, and it has never been more vital to optimize operations and effectively engage consumers. Canadian company Danavation Technologies Corp.™, the only electronic shelf label provider that is founded and grounded in North America, understands this mandate deeply. John Ricci, Danavation’s founder and CEO, has over 30 years of experience in the retail industry. He noticed that the industry was missing something — a solution that met and exceeded the needs of modern businesses and tech-savvy consumers. And from that, Digital Smart Labels™ were born.

A powerful intelligence tool for retailers Digital Smart Labels™ are digital e-paper displays that enable organizations — from grocers and retails to health care providers, logistics and manufacturing companies, and beyond — to automate labelling, pricing, product information, promotions, and workflows in real time.

The benefits of Digital Smart Labels™ include operational efficiencies, including reducing labour costs and automating tedious manual workflows, as well as giving customers a more engaging experience.

Another major bonus is the added insight that this technology bestows. Unlike legacy paper systems, Digital Smart Labels™ are designed to react in real time. The advanced engineering behind the digital e-paper displays, cloud architecture, software, and, in the near future, data-as-a-service intelli -

gence tools gives retailers valuable insights into consumers’ buying habits. Coupled with parameters such as inventory levels, cost of goods sold, sales velocity, competitor offers, weather conditions, current events, and demand/price-sensitivity, Danavation’s innovative leveraging of AI, big data, and machine learning will allow retailers to automate pricing at the shelf, optimize their product mix, and forecast inventory.

Maximizing revenue with smart price automation

“Maintaining a digital strategy and a pricing strategy is huge in retail,” says Ricci, adding that retailers are currently facing labour shortages. To keep a competitive edge and maintain margins amidst fluctuating pricing and supply, smart retailers want the ability to automate at-the-shelf pricing. The software behind Danavation’s Digital Smart Labels™ will soon allow for rapid response to competitor activities, adapting offers based on supply and demand plus market trends to increase basket sizes and maximize revenues.

“We’re working toward a system where retailers’ pricing will always be competitive,” says Ricci. “There’ll be no need for someone to set price points. The system will do it for you based on data we’re compiling.”

Understanding customer buying habits

How long are they staying at the shelf, how long do they take to buy, what do they buy, when do they buy it? We’re capturing all that data for our retailers so they can map their stores more efficiently.

The insights provided by Danavation’s Digital Smart Labels™ will also help retailers optimize their product mix. “Our Digital Smart Labels™ will capture customer data,” says Ricci. “How long are they staying at the shelf, how long do they take to buy, what do they buy, when do they buy it? We’re capturing all that data for our retailers so they can map their stores more efficiently.”

An optimized assortment plan — the right products, at the right time, at the right shelf — helps retailers to meet ever-evolving consumer demand and preferences. Using Danavation’s AI and data insights, organizations can get a clear picture of how their revenue will be impacted by assortment decisions. They can then achieve revenue targets with the best-performing product mix by market, store format, shopper segment, or even planogram.

Forecasting demand, the smart way Digital Smart Labels™ insights will also enable retailers to more effectively forecast demand. This will reduce out-of-stock events, optimize inventory ordering, increase profit margins, and mitigate excess inventory. It will also help to reduce waste, as a huge portion of global food waste is due to grocers’ forecasting and supply chain inefficiencies.

As we’ve all observed firsthand during the pandemic, the digital transformation of our society has shifted into fast-forward. This shift is affecting all industries. We’re working remotely and doing more online, and the acceleration of digital marketing and the automation of business processes across all industries are happening at a higher speed than ever before.

Retailers and grocers are witnessing the shift in real time, too. It’s time for us all to enter the digital age.

This article was sponsored by Danavation Technologies Corp.

Learn more about Digital Smart Labels™ and how they can transform your retail operations at danavation.com

Danavation’s Digital Smart Label™ technology incorporates artificial intelligence and big data to help retailers optimize and automate their operations.

Tania Amardeil

John Ricci Founder & CEO, Danavation

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DANAVATION

Developers: What’s Next in Image Processing at the Edge with NexOptic

NexOptic's Aliis dramatically transforms video for unprecedented reduction to storage & streaming costs.

The term image processing encompasses many different tasks, including computational photography, computer vision algorithms, and even basics like image compression. One aspect all of these processes have in common is that performance and results improve as the quality of their input data improves.

But what if you don’t have high-quality images? Picture and video capture don’t always provide the highest quality data for processing in the real world. For example, image frames can be noisy due to a lack of light or incorrect shutter speeds. Important image information can be lost when the ISP (the processor that manages camera data) performs tasks like converting HDR levels or simply compressing the data. This means that subsequent downstream image processing algorithms in the camera pipeline may be forced to work with lessthan-ideal data.

Here’s where NexOptic comes in. NexOptic, a machine-learning (ML) startup, is a member of the Qualcomm Advantage Network (QAN), specifically the Platform Solutions Ecosystem (PSE). NexOptic recognized the need to improve image data right where it’s captured — at the edge, on mobile and IoT devices. As a result, they’ve developed All Light Intelligent Imaging Solutions (ALIIS), a suite of ML-based image enhancement algorithms. ALIIS is used to enhance and correct flaws in images provided by a device’s camera and ISP, on a pixel-by-pixel basis, making high-quality image data available for downstream camera pipeline processes.

Built on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) inspired by AlexNet and U-Net, NexOptic’s algorithms operate in real time at

the device edge. Their models use the image-processing strengths of CNNs to reduce noise in low-light images, which is a primary challenge in image and video capture today. In particular, NexOptic makes use of a CNN’s ability to extract high-level image information like edges, contours, and objects in noisy signals to reconstruct the image.

AI for AI

ALIIS is effectively a software ISP between the camera and subsequent downstream elements of the camera pipeline on mobile and IoT devices. Depending on the platform, ALIIS can benefit from hardware acceleration by running on specialized processors.

NexOptic says that putting ALIIS right at the device edge where data is collected provides numerous benefits. Most importantly, the raw, uncompressed data from the ISP provides the most image information possible to ALIIS. And as with other AI-atthe-device-edge solutions, keeping the data on the device rather than sending it to the cloud for processing increases privacy, reduces latency, and provides data locality, the latter two being critical for realtime image processing.

In practice, the results are impressive. In one use case, ALIIS helped improve image classification performed by a commercial image classifier by 400 percent.

NexOptic has effectively done the hard work of designing and training its models so that developers can reap the benefits. As a result, the company often describes ALIIS as AI for AI, since its ML-based algorithms can be used to clean up data for computer vision models that may run downstream in the camera pipeline. The company also constantly optimizes and retrains its models, and has specific versions trained for

various classes of cameras.

ALIIS for Snapdragon mobile platforms

As a QAN member, NexOptic has built an implementation of ALIIS optimized for devices built around Snapdragon mobile platforms, with the ability to process 2K video at 30 FPS on the Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform.

NexOptic takes advantage of the Qualcomm Spectra ISP, which provides the camera data, and complements it by running ALIIS on the Qualcomm Hexagon DSP. They build their models with TensorFlow, and then use the Qualcomm Neural Processing SDK for AI to quantize and convert the exported model into the Deep Learning Container (DLC) format that is optimized to run on the Hexagon DSP. They employ additional optimization methods including architecture search methods, model distillation, mixed-precision networks, and filter and weight-based pruning.

Working with NexOptic NexOptic is solving a unique problem. By using ML to enhance image capture in real time at the device edge, downstream camera processes can work with significantly higher-quality image data. The company also says its technology can be applied to other sectors, including smart security, mobile, automotive, AR and VR, medical imaging, and industrial automation.

To use NexOptic’s technology, developers and OEMs work directly with NexOptic, who provide an SDK with a C++ API, evaluation kits, guidance and support, and the ability to integrate ALIIS into camera firmware.

Developers can get started building devices powered by Snapdragon that can run NexOptic’s technology using our Snapdragon hardware development kits (HDKs). The choice of which one to use depends on the application (for example, video vs. picture), resolution requirements, and other performance factors. For example, NexOptic recommends using midto premium-tier Snapdragon mobile platforms like the Snapdragon 778G 5G Mobile Platform, Snapdragon 865 Mobile Platform, and Snapdragon 888 Mobile Platform for processing high-resolution video.

on August 18, 2021 17:23:06 UTC.

MANUFACTURING

NexOptic is solving a unique problem. By using ML to enhance image capture in real time at the device edge, downstream camera processes can work with significantly higher-quality image data.

Hsin-I

Experiences

D.F. McCourt

The link between company and customer is built on experiences. It might be products and services that bring people to engage with a company in the first place, but it’s the quality of the interaction that retains customers, or loses them. Wherever and whenever that point of contact occurs, there’s a need to deliver an experience that’s welcoming, useful, appropriate, and enjoyable. With more than seven billion people on this planet, however, each with their own needs and desires, it’s simply impossible to curate a single experience that will suit them all. What one customer loves, another will hate.

And that really matters. People are no longer willing to accept friction in their interactions with companies. They know that there’s a better way and they expect it. The data is quite clear that customers are more than willing to walk away from a company after a bad experience. But how can you consistently create a good one for an audience with infinite variety?

The augmented human experience In today’s era of cloud AI, the golden prize of a truly personalized experience for each customer is finally within reach. The answer is not, however, replacing agents with computers. Instead, we can augment the capabilities of the agents with AI, blending the human and the digital to create a seamlessly personal experience. “The human piece of this isn't going away,” says Tracy Fleming, Practice Leader for AI at Avaya, a multinational technology company that specializes in cloud communications and workstream collaboration solutions. “Human interaction is still the gold standard. What you’re seeing is AI enabling that human to provide a better experience.”

Artificial intelligence is by no means a new area of exploration within the customer experience field, but as the capabilities of modern AI continue to grow exponentially, the implementation is taking on a whole new character. “The cloud is really the accelerator for the applied use of AI,” says Fleming. “It allows the technology to be applied seamlessly across an entire business model, and so we're certainly seeing it being deployed in a much broader range of applications. But the core capabilities in this space have been executed in the Avaya world for years.”

“What's been really interesting due to the amount of computing and storage in the cloud today is the way we can provide outcome and input to agents in real time,” says Fleming.

“We can have the AI acting as the front door concierge and also sitting on the shoulder of the agent as they're talking. The AI hears what the customer is saying, finds the relevant data, and then renders it out to the agent on the fly. And it can prompt the agent before the call is over if they forget something, so you never have these incomplete experiences.”

The angel on the shoulder

One of the major new developments is the ever-increasing speed and flexibility with which these AI solutions can be integrated into ongoing interactions. Gone is the time of AI systems facilitating the start of an interaction and then analyzing it afterwards. Whereas it used to be the norm for something like five percent of daily calls to be thoroughly analyzed after hours, now one hundred percent of calls can be analyzed as they’re happening.

AI still plays an integral role in directing the right customer to the right agent, not only for their needs, but also for their personality, demographics, and mood. But then it stays on the line.

The end result is an experience that is even more human. This is the real arc of the AI transformation, as it allows us to rehumanize our interactions. After decades of digitization and depersonalization, technology is building us a bridge back to genuine human connection.

There’s nothing artificial about an experience

When implemented properly to build dynamic experiences, artificial intelligence creates an environment where the humanity of both the agent and the customer is able to shine.

The Avaya Experience Builders ecosystem leverages all the power of this technology to customize customization itself, so that the experience can be refined down to the essential of the business and then broadened again to fit the rich diversity of its customers. When done right, the most diligent AI experience work renders itself almost invisible.

“When a customer gets off a call thinking that, for 10 minutes, they were the only thing in that person's world, they may not think to themselves, that was an incredible use of artificial intelligence," says Fleming. “I would argue that's the point. I think artificial intelligence is at its best when

don't know

you

it's there.”

Human interaction is still the gold standard. What you’re seeing is AI enabling that human to provide a better experience.

Harnessing the Power of AI to Craft Customized Customer

People want a personal experience that’s fitted exactly to them, and AI is making that human connection possible for businesses at scale.

Tracy Fleming Advanced Solutions, Avaya

Ronald Van Loon CEO & Principal Analyst, Intelligent World

The Journey to Create a Data and AI Education Portal

Big data and artificial intelligence (AI) are significant contributors to organization-wide success and innovation.

Businesses across industries are using data and AI as strategic drivers for digital transformation and competitive differentiation.

Ronald van Loon is regularly immersed in the latest developments, strategies, and conversations of some of the most prominent global organizations and is well-positioned to discuss what businesses are experiencing when adopting data and AI-related technology.

In conversation with Mediaplanet, he shares his views and experiences with organizations and business leaders, and why he launched his new company, the Intelligent World.

Data and AI misconceptions

Organizations are often under the impression that they can apply AI to either solve more minor problems, or overhaul and reinvent their entire business using AI.

But these two approaches don’t help organizations achieve digital transformation success. If they try to use data and AI across smaller, more disconnected use cases, it’s difficult to scale AI across the organization. On the other hand, it’s too big an undertaking to apply AI initiatives for a vast array of purposes and functions.

It’s better if organizations use data and AI in different areas that can work well together, and for data and technology to be reused across various functions and purposes. This type of approach helps companies build on their AI and technology capabilities to better expand their AI agenda and digital transformation initiatives.

Why organizations are behind the AI curve

Businesses are behind the curve in their AI adoption because they aren’t establishing the

right leadership and management teams that will help them embrace technological change and drive AI success across the organization. Also, they aren’t adopting technologies that enhance AI deployment, like cloud data platforms, for example.

Businesses have to create a roadmap that details how AI will help them achieve organizational goals and assign leaders to prepare the workforce to understand how to embrace data-driven decision-making and enact an agile mindset for change.

The Intelligent World

After regularly talking to and coaching executives, directors, managers, and practitioners, Ronald decided to create the Intelligent World.

He realized that executives needed a place to go to discover updates on the latest technological developments applicable to their unique sector, all from the views and opinions of the brightest and most respected minds in technology and business.

Executives today don’t have much time or the capacity to visit physical events to discuss issues and experiences with their peers. Social media, like Twitter and LinkedIn, and video content sites, like YouTube, are great for updates but are not delving deep enough into specific subjects and industry functions that are truly educational.

Lastly, there are just too many online events for executives to visit and get the content they need in a condensed and accessible way.

Ronald discovered that he could use his network as a globally recognized AI and data analytics thought leader to help educate and connect domain experts at scale, focusing on ease of use and personalization.

So the Intelligent World was born:

• Brings practitioners, executives, and dir-

ectors together on one platform that’s easily accessible.

• Offers personalized content that’s tailored to an individual's unique requirements and goals.

A user can build their own curriculum, customize their learning journey, and learn at their own pace.

• Offers opportunities to discuss topics with peers live and uncover answers to questions answered by top domain experts.

A completely modern, on-demand video-driven content experience that is consistently updated.

Connecting business leaders with technology education

Business leaders can navigate the complexities of data and AI technology implementation and make faster, accurate, and better business decisions with unlimited learning and network support.

Charting

The year is 2012 and big data is all the buzz. For many companies, though, it's just that — a buzzword. Everyone has figured out that their data is an asset, and terms like data lake and cloud are being thrown around freely, but few have yet figured out how to actually navigate that landscape and unearth the value. The maps are still being drawn, and the early movers are operating out at the edges where the cartographer has penned: “here be dragons.” And David Kim has caught the explorer’s bug.

In 2012, Kim had already built himself a successful and stable career in direct and digital marketing. But he wanted to be on the frontier, writing the future of data. And so, with his business partner, Clarence Chow, and a shared dream, they took the leap and Massive Insights was born. “We started with clearing out the proverbial garage office,” says

Kim. “We were coming from really comfy, cushy, steady jobs where we were well-paid and had some great clients. But we had this dream of creating a culture that truly provided real value back to clients. Ultimately, our hearts are in helping others create their own success stories for us to be a part of.”

In those early days, when there was some uncertainty about the future of the data sector, a guide with the right instincts and sense of direction was of inestimable value. With a prescient understanding of the power of analytics and data visualizations, Massive Insights soon secured a reputation as one of the few trusted navigators in the wilds of big data analytics. And in a frontier environment, reputation is everything. “Looking back over the last 10 years, how we’ve grown and how fortunate we’ve been, a lot of that was based on relationships, networks, and the referrals

from client endorsements,” says Kim. “Our very first client continues to be one of our clients today. Relationships matter, even in this highly technical world of ones and zeros, and bits and bytes. We always focus on the quality of work, but we never lose sight of the relationships we're building along the way.”

Today, there are a lot fewer blank spots on the map, and Massive Insights has been instrumental in filling it. It has chosen to draw roads to a better world for its clients, and for Canada as a whole. Kim understands that data touches everything. For some companies, data is primarily a marketing asset while for others, it's a tool to reshape and improve not only how a product is delivered, but also to enhance the product itself. And sometimes that product is a healthier future for a sick child.

"We're currently working the number one children's hospital in the world, SickKids Foundation. Our objective is to help them understand their ability to uncover opportunities with donors, and how they can optimize and maximize their activities to generate the most value back to the hospital. It's these types of meaningful applications of data that really connect us back to things that matter to us. And we'd always like to use any of our superpowers for good."

In 2021, looking forward to its next decade, Massive Insights is retaining its explorer’s spirit, with its eyes set on new horizons beyond the map’s edge. And the network it has built and nurtured will continue to grow and expand with the team as

uncovers ways to build value and use data for the betterment of all.

Be sure to check out and subscribe to the Intelligent World.

it

Massive Insights.

David Kim Partner & CEO, Massive Insights

Relationships matter, even in this highly technical world of ones and zeros, and bits and bytes. We always focus on the quality of work, but we never lose sight of the relationships we're building along the way.