The summer school's courses focused on the areas of data science that have made the most significant advances in terms of utility in recent years, including machine learning models, forecasting, optimisation, network science, computer vision, and natural language processing all considered in terms of business problems they are able to address. The emphasis was on business application of AI systems and their implications on how to apply them to solve business problems across multiple industries.
The participants coming from different countries in the world (Iraq, Taiwan, China, Italy, Denmark, France…), were exposed to a broad array of topics, including AI for Business, AI ethics, discussions with senior global managers in SAS, IBM, PwC, and computer vision and natural language processing (NLP). Practical applications were demonstrated, such as how topic modeling and NLP can be used to understand customer behaviour but also the use of generative AI in companies.
A networking moment at the end
Margherita Pagani, a professor of artificial intelligence in marketing and director of the SKEMA Centre for Artificial Intelligence, spoke highly of the event: "This summer school represents a unique platform to connect theory with real-world business applications. Our aim is to enable participants to understand how AI tools work in a business environment. Through our diverse lineup of speakers from around the world and company visits, we ensure a holistic learning experience that combines theoretical knowledge with practical insights."
Each day of the summer school was structured with lectures in the morning and company visits (IBM, SAS, PwC, etc.) in the afternoon, providing participants with a well-rounded experience. The week concluded with a networking event, creating opportunities for participants to establish valuable industry connections.