The Future. Made Real.? – Issue #14

Greetings, everyone! If you were looking for a deep dive into recent industry trends, the impact of artificial intelligence across industries and a glimpse into recent announcements, you are spot on!

Here are some of our most important company announcements over the past month.

• We won the 2024 Google Cloud Partner Of The Year Award for Talent Development in North America.

• We achieved Platinum Partner status with commercetools , a global leader in?composable?commerce.

• ?We expanded our presence in Latin America by welcoming Vates Software , a multi-award-winning software development company with offices in Argentina and Chile.

• The EPAM DIAL Platform won the prestigious 2024 Artificial Intelligence BIG Innovation Award in GenerativeAI.

• For the second year in a row, Whitelane Research ranked EPAM as a Top IT Sourcing Vendor in the Netherlands across multiple evaluation criteria and a Top IT Sourcing Vendor in the Nordics.
• We integrated Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Copilot for Sales to increase our teams’ productivity and strengthen client relationships.
• We won a 2023 CSR Excellence Award for ESG & CSR Dedication Excellence Award in Engineering & Business Support – USA from The Business Concept.
• EPAM’s Elaina Shekhter was recognized as a Top 30 Women In Marketing by MartechView and a Top 50 Woman In Tech by The WomenTech Network .

• Listen to the experts in cybersecurity, education and law talking about the many privacy issues involved in bringing GenerativeAI into the classroom. The conversation touches on all the important topics: data governance and pedigree, the current and future law environment, privacy and much more.
• Check out our recent white paper as we unpack how to achieve overall value when adopting GenAI.
• Learn why retailers must ensure that their AI use always helps rather than hinders the shopping experience.

It is paramount retailers ensure the way they use AI always helps rather than hinders the shopping experience. – Pierre Kremer .

• See why it’s important to incorporate skill transparency to unlock equity in the AI-driven Workplace.

Skill transparency and diversity are not simply ideals to strive for or boxes to check — they are pivotal in today's AI-driven landscape.– Ashley Kontos .

• Find out how embracing GenAI in the food and beverage sector can help brands stand out in an overcrowded marketplace and strengthen consumer engagement.
• See how AI and digital twins will revolutionize warehouse operations.
• Finally, learn all about our Unveiling Bias hackathon that gathered people from every corner of our organization to use AI to track down bias at work.

This hackathon has produced some exceptional thinking that could create a real impact for our clients and their customers, and positive change for our own teams inside EPAM. Our plan is to harness our integrated consulting and engineering talent to make these POCs real. – Victoria Morrison .

• NAB (Apr 13-17, Las Vegas, NV, USA) https://epamsys.co/3xrAsFB
• Bio-IT World (Apr 15-17, Boston, MA, USA) https://epamsys.co/3vAcveJ
• Elevate (Apr 16-18, Miami, FL, USA) https://epamsys.co/4cIHjut
• Salesforce World Tour (Apr 18, Amsterdam, Netherlands) https://epamsys.co/49tvPYI

Earlier in April, we were excited to host our EPAM customers and 谷歌 friends at the EPAM reception at Google NEXT'24. We are lucky to work with some of the best in the biz who make the magic happen.

Missed us at Shoptalk?

Here are some of the top highlights from our team:

? MACH Alliance kicked off the agenda with over 40+ member companies in attendance and a remarkable turnout of 330 attendees at the welcome reception. Our sponsored area at the Meetup Lounge served as a hub for insightful conversations, collaboration, and knowledge sharing with our customers curious about composable technology.

? Retailers and CPGs organizations are feeling more comfortable with GenAI exploration. The pervasive anxiety and fear in 2023 conversations have given way to acknowledgment that GenAI is a friend, not a foe, and will help augment capabilities.

? Despite all the conversations around endless aisle, shelf availability continues to be the biggest opportunity driver for retailers. “Today’s customer wants the Best Aisle” (Tony Spring, Macy’s CEO).

? The sanctity of data is now more important than ever. “Don’t mortgage your consumer data so that others replicate what you do, easily” (Kevin Lewis, Chief Growth Officer at Alimentation Couche-Tard).

?? Marketplaces like Mercado Libre, Alibaba and About You are driving consistent double-digit growth globally and account for more than half of all eСommerce spending.

? Some retailers, e g. Mattel, American Eagle, don't consider themselves traditional retailers. Rather, they consider themselves entertainment companies tapping into such engaging channels as new virtual Snapchat stores and Instagram Live. These retailers are using social media, TV and movies to entertain the audience and drive their brand in the hopes that it results in mindshare and a sale.

? Shoptalk added cool elements to their programming while supporting parents with free childcare across 4 days of the conference, complimentary pickleball courts to add some cardio to the agenda and great entertainment by the Mandalay Bay Beach with Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges taking the stage.

Connect with us to discuss how we can help modernize your brand and elevate your online presence.

Here's also a quick recap of our time at GDC 2024:?

• We were thrilled to showcase our latest gaming solutions and expertise related to?live services, infrastructure, data, tools and trust and safety, as well as our AI-powered digital assistant.?
• Together with our partners Incredibuild, Databricks and Microsoft, we hosted a memorable evening of networking at the Charmaine Proper Hotel, bringing together 200?of the best minds in the gaming industry. It was a blast!
• We had?an engaging panel discussion about the role of generative AI in game development. Influential leaders from #EPAM, Roblox, FRVR, Unity, Bungie and Electronic Arts (EA) shared insights about the impact of generative AI for enhancing game production, creativity and player experiences. Special thanks to our amazing panelists: Stefano (Stef) Corazza, Jeff S., Chris Benjaminsen, Nico Perony and Luis Villegas.

The event wouldn't have been the same without the fantastic individuals we had the pleasure of meeting. Thank you to everyone who spent time with us - your insights and enthusiasm fuel our work!?

And cheers to the EPAMers who attended and contributed to this successful event, from behind-the-scenes logistics to impactful discussions at the panel and friendly smiles at our booth.? ?

If you want to continue the conversation, reach out to discuss how we can level up your gaming technology and help you redefine your gaming experiences.

• … to truly transform your media and entertainment business into an accountable, cost-optimized one that works for the long term.

Effective cost optimization programs require a balanced approach factoring in organization, process and tooling with a realistic phased roadmap accounting for building your foundational quick wins that enable long-term success. – Dave Liu

• … to align people and IT departments for a stronger workforce and improved business outcomes.
• … to enhance your design skills with Adobe’s Universal Editor, an implementation-agnostic editing tool that seamlessly integrates into any website or application. Don't miss out on this opportunity to level up your design game.

... to implement cohesive omnichannel strategies to win the new digital future.

Omnichannel excellence is no longer a buzzword but a baseline expectation. Consumers seek seamless experiences, whether scrolling through mobile apps, browsing in a physical store, or engaging with a brand in an immersive game environment. - Ward de Kruiff .

• … to stay in compliance as environmental, social and governance regulations are continually evolving across the globe.
• … to elevate your telecom strategy for AI implementation, 5G monetization, IoT verticalization to compete in the dynamic competitive landscape.
• … to run your transformation initiative of adopting SAP’s latest solution portfolio.

As a wrap-up, check out the results of our Inspire Inclusion photo challenge that we ran as part of our International Women’s Month celebrations. In the pictures, our colleagues are forming hearts with their hands – the heart represents compassion, understanding and love, qualities that lie at the core of true inclusion.

That’s it for now. Stay tuned for more updates next month and don’t forget to share the newsletter with anyone who might be interested.