The Fashom Project: Customizing an AI Chatbot for E-Commerce

Pursuing a UC Davis Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) degree has been a rewarding journey, bringing together my academic background, professional experience, and a vision for the future of data science and AI.

After earning an undergrad degree in mechanical engineering, three years in data analytics, and working through internships and full-time roles, I realized my genuine passion for the field—in particular designing experiments, uncovering causal effects, and implementing machine learning models.

My return to an academic environment to focus on these pursuits was exciting, yet I knew the MSBA would be a strategic step in elevating my career in data analytics. The UC Davis MSBA curriculum and opportunities for hands-on learning offered a distinct blend of classroom learning and real-world experience that I felt was essential to making a real impact in my career.

A highlight of the program has been the year-long practicum project. This allows student teams to apply what they learn to real-world business challenges, gain practical skills, and collaborate on developing solutions for a client company.

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Fashom Practicum Project: A Year in Review

My team had the privilege of working with Fashom, a fashion e-commerce company specializing in personal styling. Our mission was to create an AI-powered chatbot that would transform customer interactions on their customer platform.

Mitali Saxena, Fashom’s founder and CEO, recognized the potential of Large Language Models (LLMs) to enhance the online shopping experience. With her extensive fashion industry expertise and our team’s technical skills, we set out to build an AI-powered solution that would set Fashom apart in the competitive world of online fashion retail.

Our project progressed over three quarters, each phase presenting new challenges, insights, and skill-building experiences. This hands-on work deepened my knowledge of machine learning and data-driven customer engagement and also allowed me to develop a better understanding of the fashion industry and AI in e-commerce.

Team members wore multiple hats throughout the practicum project, from interviewing industry experts to coding in Python, constantly pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones.

Our project evolved each quarter, starting with intensive research in the fall. We conducted a competitive analysis, evaluated various LLMs, and ultimately chose OpenAI’s GPT for its language comprehension and information synthesis capabilities.

In the winter quarter, we were designing the recommendation engine with content-based filtering, collaborative filtering and market basket analysis.

Finally, in the spring, we integrated our recommendation system with the chatbot and created a minimum viable product (MVP) using Streamlit for the graphical user interface.

Learning the Technical, Strategic, and Ethical Dimensions of AI

Throughout the practicum journey, the mentorship I received was instrumental in guiding me through the project’s technical and theoretical challenges.

We consulted with Assistant Professor Jörn Boehnke who provided insights that proved crucial in building the chatbot framework and understanding the architecture behind a large-scale AI project. His guidance highlighted the technical proficiency and the strategic and ethical aspects of deploying AI solutions in business contexts.

The opportunity to learn directly from him added another layer of growth to the practicum experience and contributed significantly to my professional development.

One of the most valuable aspects of the MSBA program is the focus on both technical skills and ethical considerations in data analytics, a crucial component as AI becomes more integrated into business operations and customer interactions.

As AI continues to evolve, there is a growing need for responsible implementation. I feel the program has equipped me to approach AI projects with a strong ethical foundation that prioritizes transparency and accountability.

UC Davis: Close Connections with Industry Leaders

The MSBA program’s strategic location in San Francisco, at the heart of the tech and AI industry, adds immense value to the learning experience. Being part of the dynamic Bay Area ecosystem of industry leaders, innovative startups, and tech giants like Google, OpenAI, and Meta offered unmatched exposure to cutting-edge developments in AI and data science.

Students can easily attend industry events, network with professionals, and stay up-to-date with emerging trends and technologies.

The MSBA program has expanded my technical and analytical skills, preparing me to address AI and data analytics challenges with innovation, ethical insight, and real-world impact across diverse industries and communities.