This weekend we received a notification from Microsoft that the PocketConfidant AI team has been selected as a finalist for the Imagine Cup India 2017. Imagine Cup is a global competition that empowers the next generation of computer science students to team up and use their creativity, passion and knowledge of technology to create applications that shape how we live, work and play.
Imagine Cup is an inspiring initiative where people search for solutions to the world’s toughest problems. We are very happy to have Jyoti Mishra represent our team in her home country. When we realized that Jyoti will now be representing PocketConfidant at the national final, we wanted to share her vision and motivation with our readers. So, we decided to do it with the help of a little interview, by asking questions.
The right questions can encourage a person to look at new ways to seek different solutions to problems they are facing, either in their personal or professional lives.
Jyoti Mishra, Natural Language Processing Engineer at PocketConfidant AI
What is your role in the project?
Jyoti: “I have been involved mostly in the dialog development of our bot and introducing a few machine learning classifiers and their infrastructure development. In addition, as a machine learning engineer, I am taking responsibility for making our virtual coach smart. At present, there is little machine learning involved as we are focusing on acquiring users who will help us better predict different human behaviors. We do have many smart features in the development pipeline and are working hard to give users a positive and impactful experience while conversing with our virtual coach.”
Just recently we wrote Coaching: The What, Why And How, an article in response to the many questions we receive when we tell people we are coaches and we are building a virtual coach with technology. We asked Jyoti this question and why she is personally endorsing this approach.
Why coaching?
Jyoti: “I feel personal coaching is undervalued in India given its impact on the improvement of the quality of life of individuals. Coaching gives perspective and broadens the outlook of a person. It can also be beneficial for life satisfaction, goal attainment and personal development. The right questions can encourage a person to look at new ways to seek different solutions to problems they are facing, either in their personal or professional lives. However, personal coaching has now become a costly affair and is accessible only to a few at the top of some organizations. In a country with the second highest population in the world, there are so many people we can reach out to with the advances in technology.”
How do you see the Indian technology scene?
Jyoti: “India is home to brilliant minds. The technology industry is booming like never before and catching up with the world in terms of innovation and research. The world is recognizing the talent available in India, which is giving a boost to Indians and creating a competitive environment locally in the technology sector. Earlier technology enthusiasts imagined success was limited to moving outside the country, but now with the rise of the startup industry in India, there is more opportunity inside the country. This has brought a lot of great minds back to India, encouraging the development of the Indian technology sector which is now reaching new milestones of success.”
Is it easy for a woman to be an engineer?
Jyoti: “Fortunately, I have never come across an environment which restricted women from thriving in the technology industry. Also, women have been performing at par with men in the IT sector. I feel there are still fewer women in the ‘core tech industry’ but given the conservative history of India, and even the world for that matter, there has been a notable increase in the numbers of women engineers and it is improving every day. This is as a result of increasing awareness and a shift in people’s mindset.”
What do you want to achieve by participating in the Imagine Cup?
Jyoti: “Imagine Cup has been a platform where youngsters with great ideas to solve the world’s greatest problems can build solutions and bring them to the world. It provides credibility to one’s efforts and validation of an idea. It is of great value to me and my team that Imagine Cup has selected us as one of the National Finalists. It means that they recognize the problem that exists and can be solved by coaching. Also, it will help us build credibility in the market space as Imagine Cup one of the most prestigious competitions in the software technology space.”
How being a part of PocketConfidant AI helps you to realize your personal goals?
Jyoti: “I have always felt intrigued by the subjects of Psychology and Human Behavior. I have experienced the positive effects of coaching on a personal level and want to make it available for others. I am also a tech enthusiast with my specialization in the area of Machine Learning and specifically in Deep Learning. PocketConfidant allows me to bring the best of both worlds to the largest number of people, something which has been very important for me since graduation. It is an honor to be part of a great team with specializations in Coaching, Neuroscience and Technology, which allows us to collaborate on building a great product and also develop immense learning along the way.”
On Monday, the 24th of April, Imagine Cup India National Final 2017 will be held in New Delhi. The Finals will be a whole day event, bringing together the 30 best teams from India. If you want to support Jyoti and our team, follow @PocketConfidant on twitter and use #imaginecup hash-tag