Transformation of the Week
Juan Ovalle

Transcript

Lusk: Hey Juan, thanks for joining me. Congratulations on being chosen as Transformation Of The Week. Tell me a little bit more about your background and what you’re doing today.

Juan: I worked as a data scientist for about four years, when I had the chance to apply machine learning models across multiple industries. From building credit scoring models in insurance and financial institutions, to developing customer targeting solutions in digital marketing. I’ve been doing some cloud consultancy for ML projects.

About a year and a half ago, I decided to transition to the engineering side of the things which led me to my current role as an AI engineer.

Lusk: So what got you interested in Gen AI in the first place?

Juan: Working in data science, you naturally come across natural language processing, NLP. It is a key part of the field and with all the excitement around Gen AI I felt drawn to understand what was happening in this space. Plus, I quickly realized how valuable Gen AI could be, whether on its own or combined with other tools for solving both work projects and personal challenges.

Lusk: You graduated from our LLM Ops course about a year ago. Have you been able to put anything that you learned into practice, personally or professionally?

Juan: Yes, I have actually had the chance to work on several Gen AI projects, from proof of concepts to production level implementations with companies worldwide. I also enjoyed giving back by helping the AI Makerspace team as a peer supporter, which not only improved my knowledge, but also helped me to build great connections in the field.

Lusk: So what are some big AI challenge that you’ve been able to overcome recently?

Juan: A significant achievement for me was securing an AI Engineering position in London. Coming from South America, it was a big step because these opportunities in big companies are something that many of us dream about. So it required a lot of preparation and persistence, but it was worth it.

Lusk: So you’re living the dream and you’re building, shipping, and sharing every single day. What words of wisdom do you have for someone who’s listening to this right now?

Juan: Well, I am still learning and growing in this field. My best advice is simple: build projects, share your work, and put it out there. I was skeptical at first, but once we started building and sharing my projects, people began noticing my work. This recognition motivated me to take on even more challenging projects, and at the end of the day, is really about taking that first step and staying consistent.

Lusk: Juan, congrats again on a winning Transformation Of The Week. Tell people where they can find you, and follow your journey.

Juan: Yeah, it was great to be here. Thank you for having me. You can find me on LinkedIn and GitHub.