prg.ai Minor Industry Talks

The Key to Practical Knowledge and Professional Development!

Industry Talks are a unique series of regular informal meetings that bring students and graduates of the prg.ai Minor program not only valuable information, but also the opportunity to gain insights into the environment of leading technology companies and develop their professional network. The goal of the program is to best prepare students for their professional careers, which is why attendance at a minimum of two meetings per academic year is mandatory. However, many students and graduates take advantage of this opportunity regularly.

The talks are organized in cooperation with prg.ai member companies, for which artificial intelligence and machine learning are key parts of their business. The speakers are their leading experts who openly share their knowledge and experience from the development and application of various technological solutions, as well as personal tips and insights from building their careers and businesses.

The proven format consists of an hour-long lecture followed by Q&A. Given the evening hours, refreshments and networking between students and company representatives have become an integral part of the event, which often spontaneously continues outside the company premises after the formal program ends.

The prg.ai Minor Industry Talks, of which we have organized over twenty since 2021 (see below for a complete list), are not just about technology, but about the comprehensive development of knowledge and skills that are indispensable in today’s world.

In addition to the company-led meetings, it is worth mentioning the discussions with world-renowned scientist Tomáš Mikolov, during which he offered his insights into the workings of American technology giants and the latest AI trends, and researcher Jan Kulveit, who focused on ethical issues and challenges related to AI. We addressed companies‘ requirements for the development of presentation skills in future employees with a workshop led by trainer Anna Wagnerová. Special attention should be paid to the Talk Students Edition, during which graduates of prg.ai Minor openly shared their experiences and practical insights from their first steps in the professional world.

Over the years, Industry Talks have consistently proven to be an invaluable platform for knowledge exchange and professional growth, fostering meaningful connections between students and industry leaders. Given the positive impact on both professional and personal development of our students, we are committed to ensuring that future generations of tech professionals can benefit from these unique learning opportunities.

Industry Talks:

  • Rossum – Petr Baudiš: Building a product based on deep learning from scratch – Focuses on the journey from creating an ML model to a successful product on the market.
  • DataSentics – Petr Míchal & Jan Pecka: ML-driven products: Shelf Inspector and Betterfy – Discussion on the use of ML products for optimizing business processes.
  • CIIRC ČVUT – Tomáš Mikolov: Useful information from the world of AI – Q&A about current trends and challenges in machine learning and artificial intelligence.
  • Recombee – Pavel Kordík: Latest research and real-world use of recommender systems – A presentation on how Recombee uses AI for content personalization.
  • BlindSpot Solutions – Ondřej Vaněk & Petr Eichler: A gentle introduction to optimization – Optimization techniques and their benefits for efficient decision-making processes.
  • ČVUT – Jan Šedivý: Chat with artificial intelligence – Introduction to conversational AI technologies and their practical applications.
  • Datamole – Jan Bím: Tailoring artificial intelligence – A presentation focused on personalizing AI solutions according to specific client needs.
  • Valeo – David Hurych: Selection of AI methods used in the automotive industry – Overview of AI methods used in the automotive industry.
  • Keen Software House & GoodAI – Marek Rosa: The Future of AI in Games – Discussion about the future of AI in the gaming industry.
  • ČVUT – Anna Wagnerová: Presentation Snacks – A workshop focused on developing presentation skills, crucial for professionals in the AI field.
  • DNAi & Tekies – David Kadleček: Digital twins or connecting the physical and digital world – A presentation on how digital twins are changing the approach to simulations and process optimization.
  • prg.ai Minor – Martin Krutský, Anežka Lhotáková, Jakub Černý: Industry Talk Students Edition – A special edition where students and graduates of the prg.ai Minor program shared their experiences with the program and the work environment.
  • Centrum teoretických studií UK – Jan Kulveit: AI alignment: knowns and unknowns – Discussion on the topic of aligning AI with human values and future challenges in this area.
  • Resistant.AI – Ladislav Maleček, Samuel Mešša, Tereza Štefková: Fraud detection: Catching bad guys with ML – A presentation focused on the use of ML for fraud detection.
  • Gen – Branislav Bošanský: Navigating the Dynamic Landscape: Machine Learning in Modern Environments – Selection and application of ML techniques in dynamic and complex environments.
  • APIFY – Jan Čurn, Jiří Spilka, Oscar Rodriguez: How to build a global tech startup from Prague, Use RAG to answer questions from extensive knowledge base, How to feed LLMs with data from the web.
  • DataSentics – Jan Kelbl, Václav Maixner, Jan Procházka: ML Engineers: Our Journeys – Compares and contrasts ML engineer roles in different settings while offering insights into the challenges of the ML/AI business from professionals in a Czech startup.
  • ELI Beamlines – Matěj Jech, Davorin Peceli, Birgit Plötzeneder, Michael Vích: Presentations on using ML in applied physics research and generative models as simulation tools, and commented tours of experimental and laser labs.

Students feedback:
Hearing directly from senior engineers about how they tackle real-world machine learning challenges was something no textbook could offer. What particularly struck me was the candid discussion during Q&A about the failures they encountered, and how they ultimately solved these issues – this kind of practical insight is invaluable for someone like me who’s just starting their career in AI.
The event was well-organized, I liked that the presentation contained technical details, which weren’t overemphasized. The audience could develop an intuition around the topic, reflect what is needed, but the pace didn’t get bogged down in excessive explanations.
I really enjoyed how relatable the first Industry Talk was and how the speaker encouraged us to consider the start-up path. Not only was it insightful, but also very motivational. I also enjoyed the friendly atmosphere and networking.
I like how even handed the talk was, how we touched upon how the startup came into being, and what non-scientific challenges the company faces in order to survive and thrive. I would like more of this.

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