Goodbye TapSlots - Hello GenVis

For the past 3 years (almost) I have been working as a software developer at TapSlots in Perth Australia. Its been a wild ride of learning and development but over the Christmas break I decided that its about time that I tried something new.

For some time now I have been very interested in Machine Learning and AI. I have been thinking about this ever since reading my first sci-book Isaac Asimov. I, Robot. At 18 I chose not to pursue a university degree in Robotics and AI and instead took my path down a games development route instead.

General purpose AI has always seemed an elusive technology always just outside the grasp of us hairless monkeys. Like fusion power, or a duke-nukem sequel it seems like we are continually just out of reach of the singularity. Recent advancements in deep machine learning however have made it seem that maybe, perhaps maybe we might be getting close.

CNNs, LSTMs, GANs and other ML acronyms de jour are making incredible strides in very specific problems. These arent solutions to the General Purpose AI problem but with them comes incredible interest and funding.

From an entrepreneurial perspective, this sudden surge in AI advancements has brought incredible opportunities for disruption of existing businesses. When combined by cloud powered IoT I dont think there is a single industry that wont be transformed over the next decade or two.

So when I was trying to decide were I should focus my most valuable asset, time, next, I concluded that it was obvious that I should be pointing myself in the direction of AI.

Fortuitously around the same time I was approached to join a new startup in Perth that was using Deep Learning to solve some very interesting computer vision problems for the retail industry. After thinking about it some more I decided that this was an exciting opportunity and aligned well with aspirations and beliefs.

So as of this week I am now the Head of Engineering at GenVis in Perth Australia. Im really excited for the potential of this company and I hope that I can do what I do best, explore and advance new technologies, to bring success in my new role.