Cloudera, a modern platform for machine learning and analytics, optimized for the cloud, recently held a knowledge event for the Middle East’s biggest brands to explore possibilities with big data, analytics and artificial intelligence.

Cloudera Sessions Dubai 2017 was held at Atlantis The Palm and brought together the UAE’s smartest data professionals to explore new applications for machine learning and artificial intelligence. The speaker roster included decision-makers from Cloudera, AXA Gulf, DU Telecom, Etihad Airways, Microsoft and Wipro.

Machine learning is helping companies detect fraud, predict their customers’ behaviour, analyse consumer preferences to suggest products, and offer proactive customer support. Combined with big data, machine learning algorithms are sifting through terabytes of data to predict market movements and help derive competitive advantage.

“We are very pleased to be able to bring such a high-quality cohort of data professionals and people on the cutting edge of technology to the same platform with the Cloudera Sessions Dubai 2017,” said Cloudera co-founder and chief technology officer Dr Amr Awadallah.  

 “These sessions are designed to help organisations harness the power of data to march ahead, and keep pace with the ideals set by Dubai and the UAE as they evolve smart government services. Data is widely recognised as one of the world’s most valuable resources for organisations, yet most organisations struggle to make meaningful sense of it. At Cloudera, we help clients use machine learning to turn stagnant data pools into powerful predictions and market insights that power business success,” Dr Awadallah added.

Research by the Harvard Business Review shows that organisations are only using 50 per cent of their structured data – or neatly compiled data, and only 1 per cent of unstructured data – or messy data gathered through interaction with the outside world. Effectively discovering and preparing this data can take up to 80 per cent of analysts’ time.

Research also shows that the world’s most valuable companies are data-driven, with Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook and Microsoft prominent members of the pantheon.

The Cloudera Sessions Dubai 2017 included a case study on how one of the leading airlines in the Middle East is using Cloudera to fly to success. The airline is reworking its information structure to optimise complex processes for internal efficiency while maintaining its world-class customer service.

Other global companies using Cloudera include, JP Morgan Chase using its COIN Machine Learning Programme based on Cloudera technology to eliminate 360,000 lawyer hours a year. Machine learning is parsing financial deals that once kept legal teams busy for thousands of hours. Meanwhile, Reuters News Tracer is using Cloudera technology to combat fake news – with a proprietary algorithm using 700 signals to determine the trustworthiness of trending topics on Twitter.

“At Cloudera, we believe that data can make the impossible possible, and by leveraging data we can automate a lot of the human decisions required to scale our businesses and countries into the future,” said Dr Awadallah.

“This involves collecting large amounts of data (big data) around how humans make decisions then feed it to advanced machine learning algorithms that can learn and automate the mundane decisions. This frees up valuable human resources to focus on harder questions and more open problems that require true human intellect.

“We’re committed to helping clients on their journey to be data-driven in their quest for innovation and true insight. We’re proud to be collaborating with some of the world’s most influential organisations in industry sectors that include telecom, travel, transportation, banking, public sector, manufacturing, health, and more,” concluded Dr Awadallah. – TradeArabia News Service