«The Combination of Innovation and Collaboration was Exciting and Rewarding»

Together with his teammates Felipe Kondo (Hong Kong Baptist University), Hyesoo Kim (University of Europe for Applied Sciences) and Maxim Reitter (Berlin School of Economics and Law), Adam developed an AI-driven solution to enhance customer experience in e-commerce. In our interview, he shares his experience of collaborating in an international team and presenting their work on a global stage.

Adam, what motivated you to join the Global E-Commerce Challenge?
Adam Kanouni: My motivations for joining this challenge were driven by a desire to innovate and build something impactful that solves existing problems in e-commerce. I viewed this as the perfect opportunity to combine both my IT and Business skills to improve the shopping experience of customers. Moreover, this challenge provided a great opportunity to work with a global team and learn about the fast-growing e-commerce industry.

Can you describe the AI-based application your team developed?
Our team has designed a personalized shopping assistant, Allie, supported by two functionalities, "Verified by AI" and "Trend Search AI." Allie is an online shopping mascot that personalizes product recommendations and interacts in a personal manner to establish trust, while also verifying the authenticity of the products it recommends. "Trend Search AI" helps predict emerging trends, therefore, ensuring customers get to know new products before they go viral. Such a combination of personalization, trust-building, and trend analysis provides enhanced user engagement and loyalty.

Your teammates were spread out all over the globe. What was it like to work in such an international team?
Working in an international team was challenging yet rewarding. Each team member had something different to offer. Leveraging this diversity allowed us to develop rather creative solutions. Though some of us were working with a difference of 12 hours in time, as in the Americas to Asia, we learned to communicate effectively and deliver results in an efficient manner.

Adam Kanouni (right) with his teammates at the final event of the Global E-Commerce Challenge.

Which aspect of this collaboration did you enjoy the most?
What I enjoyed the most was the problem-solving process, such as finding a creative solution to an industry-wide challenge. With such a broad issue we had the opportunity to think outside the box and apply AI-driven solutions that could have a real impact. Additionally, working with a global team made the experience even more enriching, as it brought diverse perspectives and ideas that helped build our solution. The combination of innovation and collaboration made the challenge both exciting and rewarding.

What difficulties did you encounter and how were you able to overcome these challenges?
One of the significant hurdles we faced was managing the time zone differences, which added complexity to our communication and scheduling. Coordinating across different regions required a high level of organization and flexibility, as we had to align our group meetings despite a 12-hour time difference between team members in the Americas, Europe and Asia. It wasn't until the final phase of the competition that we were able to meet in person, which we took advantage of, as working in the same time zone significantly improved team communication.

Were you able to use the skills and knowledge you acquired during your studies in Business Information Technology at FHNW?
Yes, I had the opportunity to apply my IT and business analysis skills to engineer the solution. I utilized my knowledge of AI and data analytics, that I got through my studies and internships, to build the foundation behind the personalization and trend analysis features. My experience in financial analysis combined with the knowledge of my teammates also helped align the solution with business objectives, such as driving customer engagement and improving conversion rates. This comprehensive approach ensured we developed an impactful and data-driven solution for the e-commerce market.

What recommendations would you give to fellow students who also consider joining such an international challenge?
My advice to my fellow students would be to enter these types of challenges with an entrepreneurial mindset. Just like in entrepreneurship, the most difficult part is getting started. Once you get the ball rolling, the momentum always follows. These types of events can be used as a bridge between studies and professional experience. As it gives you the opportunity to create something innovative and present it on a global stage. In addition, always stay open to feedback, have effective communication, and leverage different points of view as combining perspectives often lead to better solutions.