Sebastián Poliak: Independent App Development, ML Engineering, RecSys | AI and ML Conversations # 2

🎙️ In episode 2 of "AI and ML Conversations," I sit down with Sebastián Poliak, an experienced machine learning engineer who's transitioned into an independent app developer. 🚀

Sebastián opens up about his path from applied research to building AI-powered mobile apps like Stridly and Babli (https://publicspeakingcoach.app/).

With notable roles including Senior ML Engineer at Bloomreach and Machine Learning Researcher at Seznam, he brings a wealth of expertise.

We explore the changing world of machine learning engineers, the influence of generative AI, and why focusing on high-quality products with great user experiences matters.

Join us for practical tips on career shifts, integrating AI into app development, and making the most of data-driven strategies - the links are in the comments.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction

01:22 – Sebastián’s background & early interest in AI

03:42 – Career as a machine learning engineer

08:02 – Key projects: search, NLP & recommender systems

11:33 – The impact of transformers & GenAI

14:19 – From ML engineer to indie app developer

24:03 – Building and launching first apps

26:50 – Marketing strategies

30:13 – Data-driven product design & user experience

37:55 – Using AI in development & backend setup

40:19 – Costs, fine-tuning, and evaluation challenges

48:22 – Focus on onboarding, growth & staying solo

52:32 – Influencer marketing & growth hacks

55:15 – Overview of Sebastián’s apps

57:54 – Life advice: freedom, happiness, and building quality products

01:00:23 – Closing