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Practical tactics to build reliable AI apps — Dmitry Kuchin, Multinear
AI Engineer· 2025-08-03 04:34
Core Problem & Solution - Traditional software development lifecycle is insufficient for AI applications due to non-deterministic models, requiring a data science approach and continuous experimentation [3] - The key is to reverse engineer metrics from real-world scenarios, focusing on product experience and business outcomes rather than abstract data science metrics [6] - Build evaluations (evals) at the beginning of the process, not at the end, to identify failures and areas for improvement early on [14] - Continuous improvement of evals and solutions is necessary to reach a baseline benchmark for optimization [19] Evaluation Methodology - Evaluations should mimic specific user questions and criteria relevant to the solution's end goal [7] - Use Large Language Models (LLMs) to generate evaluations, considering different user personas and expected answers [9][11] - Focus on the details of each evaluation failure to understand the root cause, whether it's the test definition or the solution's performance [15] - Experimentation involves changing models, logic, prompts, or data, and continuously running evaluations to catch regressions [16][18] Industry Specific Examples - For customer support bots, measure the rate of escalation to human support as a key metric [5] - For text-to-SQL or text-to-graph database applications, create a mock database with known data to validate expected results [22] - For call center conversation classifiers, use simple matching to determine if the correct rubric is applied [23] Key Takeaways - Evaluate AI applications the way users actually use them, avoiding abstract metrics [24] - Frequent evaluations enable rapid progress and reduce regressions [25] - Well-defined evaluations lead to explainable AI, providing insights into how the solution works and its limitations [26]
Why Your Agent’s Brain Needs a Playbook: Practical Wins from Using Ontologies - Jesús Barrasa, Neo4j
AI Engineer· 2025-06-27 09:53
Knowledge Graph & LLM Application - Knowledge graphs combined with large language models (LLMs) can be used to build AI applications, particularly with graph retrieval augmented generation (RAG) architecture [2] - Graph RAG replaces vector databases with knowledge graphs built on graph databases, enhancing retrieval strategies [3] - Using a knowledge graph provides richer retrieval strategies beyond vector semantic search, including contextualization and structured queries [4] - Property graph model implements nodes and relationships, nodes represent entities and relationships connect them [4][5] Ontology & Schema - Ontologies provide an implementation-agnostic approach to representing schemas, facilitating knowledge graph creation for both structured and unstructured data pipelines [14][17] - Ontologies describe a domain with definitions of classes and relationships, matching well with graph models [15] - Financial Industry Business Ontology (FIBO) is a public financial industry ontology example [15] - Storing ontologies in the graph can drive dynamic behavior in retrievers, allowing for on-the-fly adjustments by modifying the ontology [29][30] Retrieval Strategies - Graph captures text chunks with embeddings, creating a new search space for vector search [20] - Vector search finds vectors in proximity, which can be dereferenced back to the graph for contextualization, navigation, and enrichment [20] - Dynamic queries, driven by ontologies, can be used to create dynamic retrievers, enabling data-driven behavior [26][29]
“No one is getting trained” on AI prompt engineering.
Yahoo Finance· 2025-06-26 14:30
AI Training Gap - 55% of IT decision makers surveyed in AI application companies report a lack of AI training initiatives [1] - The industry needs to train individuals to become prompt engineers to effectively leverage AI [1] AI Integration Challenges - Individuals need training and systems to integrate AI tools effectively [2] - Individuals are still getting used to integrating AI tools into their normal day [2]
Getting Started with LangSmith (1/7): Tracing
LangChain· 2025-06-25 00:47
Langsmith Platform Overview - Langsmith is an observability and evaluation platform for AI applications, focusing on tracing application behavior [1] - The platform uses tracing projects to collect logs associated with applications, with each project corresponding to an application [2] - Langsmith is framework agnostic, designed to monitor AI applications regardless of the underlying build [5] Tracing and Monitoring AI Applications - Tracing is enabled by importing environment variables, including Langmouth tracing, Langmith endpoint, and API key [6] - The traceable decorator is added to functions to enable tracing within the application [8] - Langsmith provides a detailed breakdown of each step within the application, known as the run tree, showing inputs, outputs, and telemetry [12][14] - Telemetry includes token cost and latency of each step, visualized through a waterfall view to identify latency sources [14][15] Integration with Langchain and Langraph - Langchain and Langraph, Langchain's open-source libraries, work out of the box with Langsmith, simplifying tracing setup [17] - When using Langraph or Langchain, the traceable decorator is not required, streamlining the tracing process [17]
BAOZUN(BZUN) - 2025 Q1 - Earnings Call Transcript
2025-05-21 12:30
Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Baozun Group's total net revenues for Q1 2025 increased by 4.3% year over year to RMB 2.1 billion [15] - E-commerce revenue grew slightly by 1.4% to RMB 1.7 billion, while brand management revenue rose by 23% to RMB 387 million [15] - Blended gross margin for product sales at the group level was 32.4%, with gross profit increasing by 18.9% year over year [17] - Adjusted loss from operations was RMB 46 million for the e-commerce segment, a decline of RMB 58 million from the same period last year [18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - E-commerce product sales revenue increased by 7.3% year over year to RMB 423 million, driven by strong performance in new categories [16] - Gross margin for e-commerce product sales expanded to 15%, a 130 basis point improvement compared to 13.7% a year ago [17] - Brand management (BBM) achieved 23% year on year sales growth, with same store sales growth improving to 5% for the quarter [28] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The home appliance and consumer electronics categories are ramping up well due to government subsidies, while luxury and fashion categories are also catching up [42] - E-commerce platforms like JD and Tmall are heavily investing in apparel and sportswear categories, leading to increased competition [66] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on a strategic transformation towards an innovation-led platform, emphasizing long-term value creation [13] - Plans to open three new stores in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou to capitalize on current momentum [12] - The company aims to balance scale expansion with profitability, targeting to open 50 new stores this year [50] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the ongoing transformation and operational excellence, with a focus on technology and AI applications to enhance efficiency [11] - The company is cautiously optimistic about onboarding new brands due to the current macroeconomic situation, while still seeing synergies between existing brands [61] Other Important Information - The company published its 2024 sustainability report, achieving a 36% reduction in Scope 1-2 carbon emissions compared to the base year 2021 [19] - The company received multiple awards for its content creation efforts at the Alibaba Ecosystem Conference [26] Q&A Session Summary Question: Expectations for the 6.18 campaign and platform performance - Management noted that the 6.18 campaign is the longest yet, with positive early results and strong performance in home appliance and luxury categories [39][42] Question: Updates on BBM strategy and potential acquisitions - Management clarified that the strategy for Gap includes enhancing product marketing and balancing local assortments with global products, while being cautious about acquiring new brands due to the macroeconomic situation [48][61] Question: Key drivers behind the strong performance in apparel and sports categories - Management highlighted that significant investments in marketing and product differentiation are driving growth in these categories, with expectations for continued momentum [66]
AOS(AOSL) - 2025 Q3 - Earnings Call Transcript
2025-05-07 22:02
Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue for fiscal Q3 was $164.6 million, representing a 9.7% year-over-year increase but a 4.9% sequential decline [6][21] - Non-GAAP gross margin was 22.5%, down from 24.2% in the previous quarter and 25.2% a year ago [21] - Non-GAAP EPS was a loss of $0.10, compared to a loss of $0.09 in the prior quarter and a loss of $0.04 a year ago [22] Business Segment Data and Key Metrics Changes - Computing segment revenue increased nearly 15% year-over-year and 3.6% sequentially, accounting for 47.9% of total revenue [10][12] - Consumer segment revenue decreased 9% year-over-year and 4.9% sequentially, representing 13% of total revenue [13] - Communications segment revenue was up 5.8% year-over-year but down 14.4% sequentially, making up 17.2% of total revenue [15] - Power Supply and Industrial segment revenue increased 32.4% year-over-year but declined 6.2% sequentially, accounting for 19.9% of total revenue [16] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted robust demand for graphics and AI accelerated cards, particularly driven by a key customer scaling their next-generation platform [11] - The U.S. and Korea are expected to see growth in smartphone customers, while sales from China are anticipated to slow [15] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to transform from a component supplier to a total solutions provider, leveraging customer relationships to expand market share and increase bond content [9][19] - The focus remains on executing the strategy and delivering sustained value for stakeholders despite near-term uncertainties [19] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management highlighted a dynamic landscape with macroeconomic, geopolitical, and trade-related uncertainties impacting visibility for the second half of 2025 [9] - The company expects low to mid-single-digit sequential revenue growth for June, driven by strength in Computing and Consumer segments [19] Other Important Information - Operating cash flow for the quarter was $7.4 million, down from $14.1 million in the prior quarter [23] - The company completed the quarter with a cash balance of $169.4 million, down from $182.6 million at the end of the last quarter [24] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you quantify the magnitude of the pull-ins on the PC side and discuss graphics card success? - Management noted increased demand due to customers taking advantage of tariff situations, with an estimated $6 million of revenue attributed to notebook increases [29] Question: What is the tariff impact on the company? - Direct exposure to tariffs is minimal due to limited U.S. shipments, but indirect impacts on overall demand remain uncertain [32] Question: How is the margin guidance for June despite the fall-off in licensing revenue? - Margin guidance is based on a better product mix and higher factory utilization, contributing to a sequential margin rebound [34][36] Question: Can you provide an update on cash flow dynamics and CapEx for the year? - Cash flow is expected to remain stable, targeting $40 million to $50 million for the year, with CapEx for June projected at $12 million to $14 million [45] Question: What is the pricing environment and competitive landscape? - ASP erosion is tracking historical trends, with increased competition prompting the company to roll out new products to reset ASP [49]
Silvaco Expands Product Offerings in Photonics and Wafer-Scale Plasma Modeling for AI Applications with Acquisition of Tech-X Corporation
Globenewswire· 2025-04-29 20:20
Core Viewpoint - Silvaco Group, Inc. has announced the strategic acquisition of Tech-X Corporation to enhance its capabilities in multi-physics simulation software, which will accelerate innovation in semiconductor design and digital twin modeling through AI [1][3]. Group 1: Acquisition Details - The acquisition of Tech-X Corporation will integrate its multi-physics simulation tools with Silvaco's Victory TCAD platform, enabling customers to create more accurate digital twin models for various applications [2][3]. - Tech-X's expertise in high-performance, multi-node GPU-based computing will significantly improve simulation speed and accuracy for Silvaco's offerings [2][3]. Group 2: Strategic Implications - The CEO of Silvaco emphasized that this acquisition is a significant step in the company's growth strategy, particularly in expanding into AI applications and enhancing their technology and customer base [3]. - The addition of Professor John Cary, with over 40 years of experience in computational physics, is expected to accelerate innovation and expand Silvaco's presence in the growing photonics market [3]. Group 3: Company Background - Silvaco is a provider of TCAD, EDA software, and SIP solutions, serving various markets including semiconductor, photonics, automotive, and 5G/6G mobile [4]. - The company has a global presence with offices in North America, Europe, Brazil, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan [4].
Vicor Corporation Reports Results for the First Quarter Ended March 31, 2025
Globenewswire· 2025-04-29 20:05
Core Viewpoint - Vicor Corporation reported a mixed financial performance for the first quarter of 2025, with revenue growth year-over-year but declines in gross margin and net income compared to the previous quarter [2][3][4]. Financial Performance - Revenues for Q1 2025 were $94.0 million, reflecting a 12.0% increase from $83.9 million in Q1 2024, but a 2.3% decrease from $96.2 million in Q4 2024 [2]. - Gross margin decreased to $44.4 million in Q1 2025 from $45.1 million in Q1 2024 and from $50.4 million in Q4 2024, with gross margin percentage dropping to 47.2% from 53.8% year-over-year and from 52.4% sequentially [3]. - Operating expenses were $44.5 million in Q1 2025, down from $61.2 million in Q1 2024 but up from $41.2 million in Q4 2024 [3]. Profitability - The net income for Q1 2025 was $2.5 million, or $0.06 per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $14.5 million or ($0.33) per diluted share in Q1 2024, and net income of $10.2 million or $0.23 per diluted share in Q4 2024 [4]. - Cash flow from operations was $20.1 million in Q1 2025, significantly up from $2.6 million in Q1 2024 and $10.1 million in Q4 2024 [5]. Backlog and Future Outlook - The backlog for Q1 2025 was $171.7 million, a 14.2% increase from $150.3 million in Q1 2024 and a 10.4% increase from $155.5 million at the end of Q4 2024 [6]. - CEO Dr. Patrizio Vinciarelli highlighted challenges in revenue and gross margin due to a licensee transitioning to new products, but noted potential for margin improvements with higher utilization of manufacturing capabilities and increased licensing income [7]. Capital Structure - As of March 31, 2025, cash and cash equivalents increased by 6.8% sequentially to approximately $296.1 million from approximately $277.3 million as of December 31, 2024 [5]. - Total assets as of March 31, 2025, were $665.0 million, up from $641.1 million at the end of 2024 [14][15].
Global Campus Gen-Z Leaders Exchange Launched
Globenewswire· 2025-04-28 03:22
Core Viewpoint - The Global Campus Gen-Z Leaders Exchange program has been launched to foster international dialogue and collaboration among Generation Z leaders through various activities and initiatives [1][7]. Group 1: Program Components - The program includes two main components: the Z-Leaders Online Forum and the Z-Leaders Tour, engaging over 50 university media reporters and young representatives globally [3]. - The Z-Leaders Online Forum commenced on April 9th, featuring live discussions on global issues such as climate change, emerging industries, digital cultural dissemination, and AI applications [4]. - The Z-Leaders Tour will provide participants with opportunities to visit Chinese cities, enterprises, universities, research institutions, and cultural landmarks to experience China's development firsthand [6]. Group 2: Objectives and Initiatives - The initiative aims to create a global youth communication platform that is cross-language, multi-temporal, and multi-dimensional [3]. - Plans have been announced to establish a permanent Global Youth Alliance to connect students from prestigious universities worldwide, along with a Global Youth Cloud Initiative to tackle collective challenges [7].