Dr. Zohar Bronfman is the Co-founder & CEO of Pecan AI. With deep experience in computational psychology and knowledge science, Zohar utilized his inherent entrepreneurial spirit to Co-found Pecan, proper out of graduate faculty. Zohar holds two PhDs from Tel Aviv College – one in computational cognitive neuroscience and one other within the historical past and philosophy of science and expertise. He additionally holds a BA in economics from the Open College of Israel.
Based in 2018, Pecan AI is a predictive analytics platform that leverages its pioneering Predictive GenAI to take away boundaries to AI adoption, making predictive modeling accessible to all knowledge and enterprise groups. Guided by generative AI, firms can get hold of exact predictions throughout numerous enterprise domains with out the necessity for specialised personnel. Predictive GenAI permits speedy mannequin definition and coaching, whereas automated processes speed up AI implementation. With Pecan’s fusion of predictive and generative AI, realizing the enterprise influence of AI is now far quicker and simpler.
What was the journey like in founding Pecan AI and what are a few of the key milestones achieved alongside the best way?
Beginning Pecan AI was fairly the rollercoaster. All of it kicked off when my co-founder and I joined a world knowledge science competitors. We created a data-preparation automation that changed into Pecan’s prototype, however we missed the deadline and misplaced. As a substitute of shifting on, we determined to show our prototype into one thing impactful. Simply two months after ending our doctorates in 2018, we rented a small room at Tel Aviv College and began hustling. With restricted enterprise expertise, we pitched our thought to enterprise capitalists. Fortunately, Haim Sadger and Aya Peterburg from S Capital noticed potential and invested $4 million, giving us the increase we would have liked.
One main milestone was elevating $66 million in a Collection C spherical led by Perception Companions, with backing from GV (previously Google Ventures) and others. This funding allowed us to develop globally and velocity up our growth efforts.
How does your background in computational cognitive neuroscience affect your strategy to creating AI options?
My background in computational cognitive neuroscience, together with my PhD in historical past and philosophy of science, performs a giant function in how I develop AI options. These fields assist me perceive each the technical and philosophical points of expertise. This twin perspective is extremely precious in immediately’s quickly altering tech panorama. It permits me to create AI merchandise that aren’t simply technically superior but additionally ethically sound and user-friendly.
Are you able to clarify the idea of Predictive GenAI and the way it integrates generative AI with predictive machine studying?
Certain factor. Predictive GenAI is all about merging Generative AI with Predictive Machine Studying. Generative AI lets customers work together with knowledge by way of pure language, making it simple to ask questions and information the AI. Nevertheless, its predictive talents are restricted. That’s the place Predictive Machine Studying is available in, because it processes knowledge to make correct future predictions. By combining these two applied sciences, Predictive GenAI permits even these with little knowledge science expertise to construct predictive fashions and use them seamlessly, like chatting with ChatGPT.
How does Predictive GenAI simplify the method of making and deploying predictive fashions for companies?
Predictive GenAI simplifies issues with options like Predictive Chat and Predictive Pocket book. Predictive Chat acts like an AI sidekick, guiding customers by way of the modeling course of utilizing pure language. It formulates predictive questions based mostly on the consumer’s enterprise considerations and generates a Predictive Pocket book with ready-made SQL queries and pattern knowledge. This implies customers don’t want to start out from scratch or have deep technical data to get correct predictions.
Might you elaborate on the case examine involving the CAA Membership Group and the way Pecan AI optimized their roadside help companies?
Completely. The CAA Membership Group used to spend per week manually forecasting roadside help, which was time-consuming and restricted. After implementing Pecan AI, their knowledge science workforce developed over 30 fashions to generate short-term demand forecasts twice per week. These forecasts predict name volumes and repair varieties hourly, guaranteeing environment friendly staffing and fast responses, particularly throughout harsh winter situations. Pecan’s platform additionally permits steady enchancment of those fashions, enhancing service effectivity.
How did Credit score Execs profit from utilizing Pecan AI for shopper churn prediction and what particular challenges did it resolve for them?
The Credit score Execs confronted vital challenges with shopper churn prediction, which was a fancy and time-consuming course of. Implementing Pecan AI decreased the mannequin growth time from three months to only weeks, enabling proactive retention methods. This streamlined course of allowed TCP to precisely predict shopper churn and devise efficient methods to retain purchasers, in the end growing their income.
How do the Predictive Chat and Predictive Pocket book instruments improve consumer expertise and make predictive analytics accessible to non-technical customers?
Predictive Chat makes use of GenAI to create customized notebooks based mostly on the consumer’s enterprise questions and knowledge. Customers can work together with the chat in pure language, answering questions and following directions, which simplifies the mannequin creation course of. The Predictive Pocket book contains all the required code, permitting customers to view queries, create customized tables, and perceive the coaching dataset’s logic. This strategy makes predictive analytics accessible to non-technical customers by streamlining knowledge preparation and mannequin creation.
In what methods do you see Predictive GenAI reworking numerous industries and enterprise features?
Predictive GenAI empowers companies to make data-driven choices with unparalleled accuracy and effectivity. In manufacturing and logistics, it optimizes operations by forecasting demand and streamlining provide chains. In customer-centric industries, it enhances satisfaction and loyalty by way of focused advertising and marketing and tailor-made suggestions. Predictive GenAI additionally fuels innovation by predicting market traits, guiding product growth, and dashing up time-to-market. Its purposes prolong to healthcare for illness prediction and customized remedy plans, and to sustainability efforts by optimizing useful resource utilization and lowering environmental influence.
How does Pecan AI make sure the accuracy and reliability of its predictive fashions?
We guarantee accuracy and reliability by way of rigorous testing and ongoing validation. Pecan AI makes use of separate coaching and take a look at datasets to judge mannequin efficiency, just like grading a faculty take a look at. Key metrics like accuracy, precision, and recall are used to validate fashions throughout growth and in manufacturing. We additionally promote transparency by way of explainable predictions, serving to customers perceive the components influencing every prediction and fostering confidence in AI-driven insights.
How do you envision the function of Predictive GenAI evolving within the subsequent few years?
Trying forward, the way forward for AI is not only about predicting occasions but additionally prescribing actions based mostly on these predictions. Predictive GenAI goals to automate decision-making processes and optimize enterprise operations. Nevertheless, it is essential to know the related dangers and make sure the accountable use of AI. Because the expertise evolves, it’s going to play a important function in enhancing operational effectivity, fostering innovation, and driving strategic decision-making throughout numerous industries.
Thanks for the good interview, readers who want to study extra ought to go to Pecan AI.
