Atifa established a China research center in Shanghai, collaborating with Jiao Tong University to explore new paths for AI business empowerment.

Recently, Artefact, a globally renowned data and AI consulting company from France, announced the establishment of its second global research center at its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Shanghai, and officially signed a memorandum of cooperation with the AI Research Institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The collaboration aims to deeply integrate cutting-edge AI technologies into commercial practices to accelerate economic growth. With the rapid development of general large models, AI's reshaping of business and industrial landscapes has become a focal point across sectors, making this collaboration highly anticipated.

Powerful Alliance to Tackle Cutting-Edge AI Application Technologies

On December 18, Edouard de Mezerac, CEO of Artefact Asia-Pacific, Vice President of Asia Chief Data Scientist Dr. Zhang Pengfei, and Professor Jin Yaohui, Chief Engineer of the AI Research Institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, gathered at Artefact's Shanghai headquarters—the famous landmark "Henderson Xuhui Tiandi"—to witness the signing of the memorandum. According to the agreement, the doctoral team from Shanghai Jiao Tong University will work closely with Artefact's data science team to tackle cutting-edge AI technology challenges.

In this collaboration, Artefact will provide the necessary research environment, technology, and industry-open data support to accelerate the research process. Meanwhile, the research team can closely communicate with Artefact's global technical and research teams, gaining better international perspectives and collaboration opportunities. The doctoral students from Shanghai Jiao Tong University will serve as the main bridge between the university and the enterprise, determining research fields and directions under the guidance of academic advisors and corporate teams, and conducting research and development work.

This collaboration is a key part of Artefact's global strategic layout, aiming to build an ecosystem of tripartite innovation involving Artefact, universities, and corporate clients to efficiently connect academic achievements with industry applications. Edouard de Mezerac stated: "Over the past decade, Artefact has deeply engaged in various vertical industries across more than 20 countries, exploring practical paths for data and AI to reshape business models. AI does not merely bring optimization but the reinvention and innovation of end-to-end business solutions. Today, large models are accessible globally, but the key lies in how to effectively utilize them. Accelerating the technical implementation of AI empowerment across different businesses is the core goal of this collaboration."

Industry-Education Integration: AI-Driven Business Transformation

Currently, like many countries worldwide, China faces both opportunities and challenges brought by AI. According to Artefact's research, only 11% of companies have explored large-scale AI applications for business reinvention, while more enterprises are still seeking breakthrough opportunities. Between real-world industry data and large models, there exist technical platform barriers due to differences in vertical industries.

Professor Jin Yaohui, Chief Engineer of the AI Research Institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, pointed out: "To achieve the healthy development of General AI (Gen AI), it is necessary to connect real business needs rather than imagining them out of thin air. Some countries have already begun exploring cutting-edge technologies like RAG and AGENT. This collaboration will expand research areas based on different industry trends, closely aligning with industry challenges to explore high-commercial-value technical paths and achieve academic innovation breakthroughs." Both parties pledged to open-source all final technical achievements for free, contributing back to society.

In the digital transformation practices of generative AI, over half of Artefact's clients reported encountering varying degrees of talent challenges, with significant gaps between corporate knowledge/training and real needs. In this doctoral training program, university doctoral students will be stationed at Artefact, guided by mentors to identify truly commercially valuable research directions from an industry perspective.

Upholding Ethical Principles to Guide Corporate Compliance

Artefact was founded in 2014 in Paris, France, specializing in AI and data consulting, with services covering consulting, data science, AI technology, and marketing. Through years of effort, it has collaborated with over 1,000 clients and more than 300 international brands, gaining a first-mover advantage in the global data and AI consulting field.

Artefact China has achieved annual growth exceeding 40% despite the pandemic. Its industry applications widely cover luxury goods, cosmetics, footwear and apparel, retail, FMCG, travel, B2B, and many other sectors.

Since its inception, Artefact has adhered to the service principle of "trust and transparency," ensuring ethical standards for data and algorithms. In AI model development, it emphasizes the transparency and fairness of algorithmic strategies, customizes validation tests during deployment and testing phases, and considers ethical and compliance factors early in business implementation, actively seeking expert opinions.

The collaborating institution, the AI Research Institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, was established in 2018 and has gathered a high-level team, including 3 members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Engineering, 4 IEEE Fellows, 2 Changjiang Scholars, 4 recipients of the National Outstanding Youth Fund, and over 30 national-level talents.