Columbia University Wins the 2018 Atos IT Challenge with Artificial Intelligence Project

Atos, a provider of digital transformation, announced the winners of its international student competition, the Atos IT Challenge, at a ceremony presided over by Thierry Breton, Chairman and CEO of the Group. Now in its seventh year, the competition saw 204 teams from around the world compete on the theme of “Chatbots & AI.”

With 204 teams made up of more than 650 students from colleges and universities from Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America, the 2018 edition of the Atos IT Challenge confirmed the buzz surrounding chatbots and AI technology worldwide.

After an initial first round in which 20 applications, submitted from the United States, France, UK, Germany, India, Russia, China and even Taiwan, were selected, the Atos IT Challenge Board, made up of experts and Atos executives, chose three finalists. These are:

• 1st prize and Competition Winner: Columbia University (United States)--With a solution called BTM (Behind The Meter) two French and Indian students from Columbia University have developed a service presenting how AI and chatbots can be used in automated demand response applications for connected objects, reducing costs, and environmental footprint. The team won €10,000 and each student was offered the opportunity to do either an internship at Atos or to work together with the company to develop their project.

• 2nd Prize: Voronezh State University (Russia)--Masterpiece, a chatbot created by four Russian students, can hold conversations about art - help find new exhibitions in a city, enable payment via an application, and provide all the information needed about a piece of art thanks to photo recognition. The team won €5,000 and each student was offered the opportunity to do either an internship at Atos or to work together with the company to develop their project.

• 3rd Prize: University of Texas in Dallas (United States)--Two students from the University of Texas developed a cloud-based chatbot for the utilities industry to reduce customer service operation costs and provide a more personalized customer experience. The team won €3,000 and each student was offered the opportunity to do either an internship at Atos or to work together with the company to develop their project. 

This year, the jury also awarded a special prize to an entry that particularly stood out, for both the significance of the topic tackled and the dedication of the team.

• Special Jury Prize: INSA Lyon (France)--The three students developed a personalized companion, ALZ-E, which keeps Alzheimer sufferers active and engaged. The chatbot enables Alzheimer sufferers to use a vast array of technologies, including video chats, memory games and calendar reminders.