Issue #18: tQ anniversary, Synapse's expansion, AI usecases and resources
Hey, everyone! ?? This month, Synapse is turning up the summer sizzle with exciting updates, hot deals, and scorching new features! In this edition, we celebrate two years of techQualia - the region’s first interdisciplinary AI platform - with a toast to the groundbreaking ideas, mind-bending discussions, and incredible achievements that have shaped our journey. ??
We also celebrate our company’s expansion! The Snapsers are going to be joining Abu Dhabi’s soaring tech ecosystem as part of Hub71 ’s newest cohort.?
That’s not all! In this issue, we share with you news about our recognition from MCIT, our latest publications about the theories of human and artificial intelligence, use-cases for social assistive robots in MENA,? more data talks and panel discussions, and finally, an exclusive in-depth op-ed featuring our COO about the latest in AI deployment.
This summer, you can count on Synapse to bring the heat. Let’s get started!?
In this issue:?
1. techQualia turns 2! ?
As our platform expands, we have grown to think of it as a kaleidoscope of ideas, where the gears of artificial intelligence have come hand in hand with the musings of philosophy. It’s a fusion of human intellect and technological marvels that challenge the very fabric of our reality.
In celebration of the wonderful year we’ve had, we’re taking you on a trip down memory lane. So, whether you’re one of our (embarrassingly few) Instagram followers, our die-hard LinkedIn fans, or our thousands of monthly readers, we owe it all to you.??
A YEAR IN REVIEW:
techQualia, the qualitative, interdisciplinary research arm of Synapse Analytics, stands at the intersection between society and tech – the human mind and its artificial counterpart – aiming to push the frontiers of AI research and awareness in the region by localizing AI content.
Over the past two years, we’ve curated a corpus of interdisciplinary content for our diverse audience. Our publication navigates a variety of AI-adjacent issues: from the theoretical and philosophical frameworks grounding AI, the scientific and business-related know-how, to the subsequent employment of a critical lens to its cultural and social commentaries. Check out our editors’ picks here.
While catering to our local audience, we were also able to engage with industry leaders from all over the world such as Dr. John Danaher, Gene Glotzer, Bryan Bird, Luke Sweeney, Dr. Jaquelyn Berry, Hamza King and many others.
In the spirit of committing to the pledge against gatekeeping knowledge about AI, paving the way for an inclusive tech world and demystifying the hype surrounding emerging technologies, techQualia has launched several interdisciplinary initiatives. Examples include tQ’s Career Series, comprised of 5 job-specific guides and disseminated in both Arabic and English, which walks our audience through the nooks and crannies of the vast and endless field that is AI. You can download it here.
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More notably, in December 2022, we hosted the region’s first AI x ART gallery in the region – showcasing the latest in emerging technologies as employed in artistic endeavors, as well as curating a large interdisciplinary panel of industry and thought leaders to lead discussions. Learn more here.
Read more about techQualia in the media here: Egyptian Streets’ ?How Egyptian Platform techQualia Aims to Localize AI and Bridge Knowledge Gaps; Wamda’s Does Mena need to pay greater attention to developments in AI?; CairoScene’s The Speakers Leading the Conversation on AI Art at techQualia Gallery; NFTYScene’s The techQualia Gallery Bridges the Gap Between Artists & AI Research; Wamda’s ?? ????? ????? ????? ?????? ????? ??????? ??? ????? ???????? ??????? ?????? ????????? ?; El Pais’“?Por qué se circuncidan las chicas?”: el problema de Google en árabe con la mutilación genital femenina
2.tQ Articles Of The Month: On Cognitive Science, Mental Health, and AI!?
In this article, we dive into the intelligence of intelligent design and unveil the intricate interplay between humans and machines with Dr. Jacquelyn H. Berry, a distinguished Cognitive Scientist and Assistant Professor of Psychology at The American University in Cairo.
Together we unravel the intricacies of human learning mechanisms and? gain invaluable insights into the foundations of AI development. Dr. Berry's article bridges the gap between biological and artificial intelligence and asks the question: could understanding the psychological processes that shaped Little Albert's experiences unlock new avenues for AI development and human-machine interaction?
Have you ever wondered about the unspoken struggles that new mothers face during their transformative journey into parenthood? Then give our second article a read as we explore the world of postpartum depression (PPD) and the groundbreaking role Social Assistive Robots (SARs) can play in alleviating its symptoms with our AI Social Scientist, Habiba Salaheldin.?
This article shines a spotlight on the profound impact of PPD and how it affects the lives of countless women worldwide. SARs hold immense potential to? transform the landscape of healthcare and mental wellness, and we’re here for it!
3. SYNAPSE ANALYTICS IN ABU DHABI! ????
We are thrilled to announce that we’re joining Hub71’s newest cohort of exceptional startups! We’re grateful for the opportunity to become part of Abu Dhabi’s soaring tech ecosystem and to drive lasting economic impact.?
Our Synapsers are ready to empower more and more companies with AI to supercharge their decision-making processes and democratize AI in the MENA region and worldwide.?
This wouldn't have been possible if it weren't for the amazing team at Synapse working hard to democratize AI technology across industries.
The #Synapsers are coming to Abu Dhabi! Read more about Hub71’s newest cohort here:
4. MCIT awards Synapse for educational initiatives?
On the 17th of June, our amazing team at Synapse Analytics proudly received a prestigious Certificate of Appreciation from none other than the H.E. Dr. Amr Talaat. The esteemed recognition was for our unwavering commitment to education and our passion for empowering young minds.?
Receiving the award from the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), Egypt was an honor. It’s a credit to Egypt’s collaborative innovative thinking, which creates a healthy setting for initiatives like ours to grow.
At Synapse Analytics, we believe in the boundless potential of our youth. We will always actively support and assist students with their graduation projects, helping them turn their ideas into reality and move towards a brighter future. ???
领英推荐
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to H.E. Dr. Amr Talaat and the MCIT for recognizing our efforts. And a big thank you to everyone who has supported us.
5. The cofounders, concurrently imparting their wisdom and making waves!
AmCham Egypt 's Entrepreneurship and Innovation Committee hosted a networking reception to address “AI in Action: Unveiling a Future of Opportunities" featuring our CEO and cofounder Ahmed Abaza .?
The panel, comprised of other experts such Mr. Hicham Arafa , Chief Operations Officer, Brightskies , Dr. Dr. Nouri Sakr , Founder of Data Science Hub and Assistant Prof. of Data Science The American University in Cairo ,? Ms. Zeinab Kamel, iConnect , ?and moderated by Mr. Moataz Kotb , Co-Chair Entrepreneurship & Innovation (EIC) Committee Leaders, AmCham Egypt, discussed the latest advancements and challenges that arise every day in the field.
Is your company actually ready to deploy AI?
We’re excited to share the latest feature of our Cofounder & COO Galal Elbeshbishy by Startup Scene ME !?
In this in-depth op-ed, Elbeshbishy lends insights on the best ways organizations can introduce AI into their operations, and minimize the risk that can come from implementing AI in industrial applications.
Dive into the Startup Scene ME feature to discover the fine balance between risk and reward in the realm of AI deployment.
Read the article here:
6. Mohamed Abaza Dell Technologies’ Data Talk
Our Growth Manager, Mohamed Abaza , participated in Dell Technologies ’ Data Talk series, where he showcased how we're addressing financial inclusion with our AI credit decisioning platform, Konan. He also discussed the significant impact that AI has been making on the financial industry.?
?→ Why Credit Scoring?
Did you know that a staggering ? of Egypt’s population are unbanked, and that our financial literacy rate is below the global average, standing at a mere 27%?
In short, that means that a large number of people lack access to essential financial services, such as credit, and also lack the historical financial data necessary to gain access to these services.?
This is an issue we’re hoping to solve at Synapse. Our user-friendly, scalable, and customizable products aim to address common problems in the financial sector, by leveraging AI and machine learning to develop more accurate and inclusive credit scoring models that can better serve underbanked populations. We do this with the assistance of alternative data sources (such as digital footprint and pretrained models, which we responsibly aggregate and analyze to provide lenders with a more comprehensive view of a potential borrower's creditworthiness. This in turn allows lenders to make more informed and accurate lending decisions, which can increase access to credit for underserved populations, while simultaneously minimizing risk for lenders.
If you’re interested in taking part in this research initiative, where we assess the workings and implication of alternative AI scoring, hit us up with your questions, suggestions, or insights. We love to collaborate!
7. RiseUp Retail for AzkaVision
Our Synapsers recently embarked on a mission to deploy AzkaVision at the RiseUp Retail Summit. This was a great opportunity to learn more about our advanced live video analytics and how it can elevate your facility’s performance.
See a familiar face? Slide on over and ask them how their mission went!
Left to right: Marwan Eleskandarani , Marco Rizk , Ahmed Rayan , Mohamed Abaza
8. A CALL FOR WRITERS
HELLO, HELLO. IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE?
We need you! Why? Because we publish at the intersection between tech and society—the human mind and its artificial counterpart. If you have an idea that you think bridges the gap between the tech scene’s empirical study of Artificial Intelligence and philosophy’s reflective study of human experience in the world, you’ve come to the right place.
We welcome pitches for feature articles, reviews, or blog posts with a word length between 800 and 1500 words. If you find it fascinating, we probably will too!
If you are interested in submitting a pitch for us to consider, head over to our website and fill in the form below.
Want More Synapse Analytics x techQualia?
Visit our website to see what we’re working on right now:
You could also visit techQualia to read all our previous articles and publications: