Client Overview
Our client Span is a global IT powerhouse based in Croatia, with over 30 years of expertise in delivering cutting-edge IT solutions to major enterprises worldwide.
The company specializes in designing and developing information systems, providing technical support, and offering proactive monitoring services. With a workforce of over 800 employees, many holding advanced IT certifications, Span’s commitment to innovation and reliability positions it as a trusted partner in IT.
Objective
Span partnered with us to conduct an Azure OpenAI Proof of Concept (PoC) session, aimed at fostering AI-driven innovation through Azure’s extensive suite of services. The PoC’s goal was to support Span’s growth and deepen its digital expertise by encouraging teams to explore and develop intelligent AI applications that align with Span’s mission of providing reliable, scalable technology solutions for enterprise clients.
Solution
The Azure OpenAI PoC provided participants with access to Azure services and a structured, multi-phase approach to application development. Each stage built upon the last, focusing on essential aspects of AI integration and advanced Azure technologies.
Key Challenges Included
- Modernizing Customer Support: Teams created an interactive AI-driven support system utilizing Azure’s Chat engine to provide users with accurate answers and step-by-step guidance.
- Streamlining Employee Onboarding: Participants developed a responsive internal knowledge base using Azure Cognitive Search, simplifying the onboarding process for new employees.
- Image Generation with DALL-E: Teams integrated Azure’s DALL-E capabilities for custom image generation, enhancing user engagement with personalized content.
- Conversational Database Interactions: A chat-based interface was built using Azure’s Completion engine, enabling natural language queries for streamlined data retrieval.
- Model Integration: Participants combined multiple AI models into a unified interface, allowing seamless interactions through function calling.
- Security and Content Safety: The focus was on implementing security measures against AI-specific threats, utilizing Azure’s content safety protocols to protect applications.
- Scalability and Failover: Participants implemented Azure API Management for controlled access to OpenAI services, ensuring scalability and uptime through replication and failover strategies.
“Over these three days, I gained insights into a variety of use cases, and what I enjoyed most was the collaborative team approach. The knowledge I acquired, especially on challenges involving API management, is something I’m excited to implement in my work moving forward.”
— Petra Vitez, Developer Specialist
“The PoC Accelerator approach really impressed me, with its 7 distinct topics covering various domains related to the Azure OpenAI service. Everything we tackled felt fresh and exciting, and I gained hands-on experience with real-world challenges. At Span, we’re already using Azure, so this PoC was a valuable opportunity to familiarize myself with more Azure resources. Now, when we start a new project, I feel I’ll be able to dive in more easily with the insights gained from this experience.”
— Zvonimir Šušić, Machine Learning Engineer
Outcome and Impact
The Azure OpenAI PoC significantly enhanced Span’s digital transformation initiatives. It equipped teams with hands-on experience in developing secure and scalable AI solutions, fostering expertise in:
- AI-Powered Chatbot Development: Insights gained in building responsive support systems improved client interactions and documentation access.
- Image Generation: DALL-E integration opened avenues for custom visual solutions, enriching user experiences.
- Security-Enhanced AI Solutions: Strengthened commitment to safe and reliable AI applications through proactive content filtering and threat detection.
- Scalability and Performance: Azure API Management enabled flexible, efficient AI services tailored for enterprise needs.
“I initially expected the PoC accelerator at Span to revolve around one big challenge, but the format of multiple, smaller challenges turned out to be even more beneficial. It allowed us to cover a wider range of topics and gain hands-on experience across diverse areas. The insights we gained from this approach will undoubtedly be applied to our future projects here at Span.”
— Ivana Bacac, Team Leader, Span
Conclusion
The Azure OpenAI PoC facilitated a comprehensive understanding of Azure AI solutions for Span, showcasing the transformative potential of generative AI in digital business operations. This hands-on experience positions Span to continue leading in innovative, secure, and scalable IT solutions for global enterprises.
Interested in how Azure AI can transform your business? Connect with us at Nephos to explore custom AI solutions for your organization.