Young Olympus Researcher Wins Gold Medal at Kaggle, the Global AI Data Analysis Competition

At the 2023 Kaggle competition, 400,000 data scientists from around the world gathered on a digital platform to build the most accurate AI analysis models to address challenges presented by renowned global companies. A young data scientist from Olympus was among these world-leading AI researchers using cutting-edge technologies, and he has won both a bronze and a gold medal.

Find out how Yuki Okumura achieved this feat, and read about his efforts to develop an autonomous career.

Yuki turned a background in physics into an activity of interest in world of AI

Yuki Okumura has been with the company for three years. He is currently in charge of improving the quality of manufacturing processes using AI to analyze data. Mr. Okumura majored in physics with, as he describes it, barely any exposure to AI during his studies. However, since joining Olympus, Yuki has begun using AI for data analysis through his work. “I found AI analysis interesting and profound,” said Yuki. “However, when I participated in a training program for newcomers, I had never heard of Kaggle.” Yuki remembers the AI analysis constructed by the participants at Kaggle as ‘toothless’. He says he viewed it, at that time, simply for reference.

Yuki said that he is the type of person who takes an active interest in things that interest him, and he has been steadily improving his AI data analysis skills by taking advice from senior employees and undergoing in-house support for certification and training. Yuki also enjoys self-study, he reads books on AI from end to end.

A Bronze Medal in the Individual Category and Gold for Team Play

With all this self-improvement bearing fruit, Yuki felt convinced of his personal growth. Yuki set his sights on the Kaggle challenge for 2023. In the individual category, Yuki achieved a bronze medal, which marks a jump up from his previous participation, but an even higher achievement came into view.

The Kaggle challenge theme centered on the fact that airplane clouds of ice crystals, called contrails or condensation trails, can negatively impact global warming. The aim of the challenge was for an AI model that can recognize areas where airplane contrails are likely to form so as to enable pilots to choose to avoid such areas, ultimately thereby contributing to the suppression of airplane contrail formation.

With just three months in which to prepare, Yuki carefully considered the data he was given and refined his analysis model by exhaustively and repeatedly testing ideas that might contribute to improving the accuracy of the AI. After discovering that he was among the top 20 participants in line for a silver medal, Yuki Okumura felt his model had great potential. Encouraged, but by then with only three weeks remaining, Yuki decided to team up with other participants to further develop his model within the Team Play category.

Bringing together the insights and analysis results of other participants enabled the analytical model to evolve. By incorporating various perspectives through collaboration, the team realized they were within range of the gold medal. The AI model they developed offers even more accuracy in analysis. Yuki’s model achieved 8th place and captured the glory of a gold medal (awarded to the top 10 of 954 teams). An outstanding team performance!

Gaining knowledge through self-development is good for business

Yuichi Akutagawa is a senior manager to Yuki, and he commented on Yuki’s accomplishment. "Participating in this kind of competition and having contact with the latest technology and people is effective for self-development, and useful in the workplace. I hope that Mr. Okumura will continue to actively engage in such activities while valuing a work-life balance.”

Yuki Okumura said that his colleagues are very pleased with his achievement, and he has a strong outlook for his future at Olympus. "Winning the gold medal at Kaggle required deep thinking based on the results of many experiments. I was able to gain a lot of technical knowledge in the process. Olympus has a flexible working style, and I think the environment is conducive to balancing work and personal development. I would like to continue participating at Kaggle, aiming for the titles of Kaggle Master and even Grandmaster! I intend to use the knowledge that I gain during the process to promote my own work themes."