setting up comcast’s ai/ml coe: lessons learned from a 10-year journey [presentation]

Setting Up Comcast’s AI/ML COE: Lessons Learned from a 10-Year Journey

Amit Bagga

VP, AI/ML R&D

2 Comcast Confidential & Proprietary

The Origin

2000


The Acquisition

2005

4

2006

Comcast Confidential & Proprietary

Show Me the Money!!!

5

2007


Time for Change

6

• Platforms for Search & Discovery

– Metadata Processing

– Search

– Recommendations & Personalization

– Scene Level Metadata


The Origin – Part II

#1 – Define the Mission

7

2008


Time for Change – Part II

8

• Startup with deep pockets– Small team with big impact

– Reward folks making most impact

– Openness and transparency (minimal politics)

– Sharing of ideas

– Clear career path

– Lots of flexibility in work hours and remote work

– Causal and relaxed environment

– Weekly social events

– Free snacks/drinks


The Foundation

#2 – Establish a Culture

9

• Reach out to area universities

– Give a talk on the exciting work being done

• If possible, show demos

– Dangle the ”data” carrot

• Nothing attracts ML folks more than availability of

lots of data

– Network with faculty & students

– Explore potential collaborations


Start With Your Backyard

#3 – Reach Out to Local Universities

10

• Set up internship program

– One of the best sources of potential candidates

– They know the work, people, and culture and

vice versa

• Word of mouth

– Happy employees are your best salespeople

– Use their professional networks as a source

• Conferences

– Great for connections and name recognition

– Also allows for current employees keep abreast

of latest research

• Recruiters

– They always exist as a backup option


The Need for Good Plumbing

#4 – Set Up a Recruiting Pipeline

11

• Interviews are two way streets

– Candidates learn as much about you as you do about them

• Show off your best

– Pick smart interviewers who are passionate about their work

– More is better

• contrary to Google where 4 interviews is enough

– Interviewers need to be prepared and thorough

– If you have a good culture, it will shine through

• Show off your culture (invite recruits to social events)

• Highlight the impact factor


The Power of Marketing

#5 – Sell the Job

12

• Do not wait for the perfect candidate – there ain’t

one

• But, ensure you have a really good one

– Hire the candidate that clears the bar

– Do ensure the bar is high enough

– Importance of debrief session

• Open and honest discussion

• Everyone gets equal weight

• Makes candidates feel wanted

• Reduces chances of candidates shopping your offer

around

• Reduces time to hire


Avoid Analysis Paralysis

#6 – Make Quick Decisions

13

• Attracts other rockstars

– By helping in the interview process

– By using his/her network to seed the recruiting pipeline

• Helps make a larger impact within the org

– Usually highly motivated and are able to carry a

disproportionate amount of the weight of the org on

their shoulders

• Acts as a role model for others


Build a Program

#7 – Make an Early Rockstar Hire

14

2008


Crawl

20102009

15

• Pick impactful projects with potential low hanging

fruit

– Choosing right projects is an art

• Have a crawl/walk/run approach

• Hire or work closely with product managers who can

act as a bridge between AI/ML algorithms/platforms

and customer facing products

– Traditional product managers do not have a “data-

driven” mind-set, a necessary skill for building products

powered by advanced AI/ML algorithms


Create Some Magic

#8 – Make An Impact

16

• Create awareness of work and impact across the

key folks in the org

– Builds external confidence in group’s ability to deliver

• Awareness helps create pipeline of interesting and

impactful work

• That in turn helps retention and recruitment


The Razzle Dazzle

#9 – Showcase the Work


Baby Steps

2009-2012


Walk

2013-2016

19

• As the org grows

– Identify key leads/managers and empower them

• Must be folks who are passionate and bought into the

culture and program

– Foster an environment of innovation

• For example, labweeks 3 times a year

– Ensure that pay and benefits continue to be

competitive


Back to the Foundation

#10 – Maintain the Culture


Run

2017

21

1. Define the Mission

2. Establish a Culture

3. Reach out to local universities

4. Establish a recruiting pipeline

5. Sell the job

6. Make quick decisions

7. Make an early rockstar hire

8. Make an impact

9. Showcase the work

10. Maintain the culture


Recruiting AI/ML Talent - Ten Lessons Learned

setting up comcast’s ai/ml coe: lessons learned from a 10-year journey [presentation]

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