Contxto – SoftBank and Correlation One have officially concluded their joint Data Science for All (DS4A) program in Latin America. The pair launched the initiative in February of this year to prepare people with a background in programming, math, and statistics in artificial intelligence (AI) tech and data science.
The first edition of DS4A had a low acceptance rate of eight percent. Of a total of 2,350 applicants, only 205 people were selected to participate in the ten-week program. These learners originated from over 30 cities throughout Latin America.
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SoftBank’s AI bet in Latin America
The Data Science for All program served multiple purposes.
First off, it was a practical learning opportunity. The program geared learners towards finding innovative ways to apply AI and data science to improve operations within various industries like e-commerce, marketing, and logistics. Likewise, many of their findings will likely be applied among SoftBank‘s portfolio companies.
“The projects’ quality and attention to detail was astounding,” noted Laura Gaviria Halaby, Head of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships at SoftBank Group International.
“The new data science and AI tools that students developed will have an immediate impact on companies which will generate economic opportunities and accelerate the region’s transformation.”
Similarly, learners were connected with these startups for potential job opportunities.
Undoubtedly these types of initiatives are sowing the seeds for the future of data science and AI in Latin America.
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-ML
