The Fifth Elephant 2023 Winter

Abstract
In this session, we’ll deep-dive into Recommendation Systems, with a special focus on two critical stages: Retrieval and Ranking. We’ll begin by examining how different industries implement large-scale Retrieval Systems tailored to their specific needs. To illustrate our points, we’ll take a closer look at the Retrieval Systems used by Twitter and Instagram, even though both are social networks, their Recommender Systems are unique. We’ll explore Twitter’s follow suggestions and how Instagram recommends interactive media content to its users. We’ll uncover the strategies these companies use to create effective Retrieval Systems and identify common approaches.

Next, we’ll shift our attention to Ranking Systems, where we’ll explore how companies strategically order items to maximize conversions. We’ll discuss the use of multi-objective ranking functions, a common approach in many companies. Additionally, we’ll also examine how other companies fine-tune their rankings using feedback loops to align with multiple objectives. In this context, we’ll take a closer look at the ranking systems of Instagram and Pinterest.

Throughout this session, we aim to provide insights into the world of Recommendation Systems and how in Meesho we have used some of these learnings to create high-quality Recommender Systems.

About the Speaker
Abhishek Mungoli is a seasoned data scientist with over 7 years of experience, holding a master’s degree in Computer Science from IIIT-Hyderabad. He has worked with prominent companies such as Walmart and currently serves as a Lead Data Scientist at Meesho. Abhishek’s expertise spans various domains of data science, including supply chain, pricing, fraud analytics, recommendation systems, and advertising platforms. He is a thought leader in the field, regularly sharing his insights on platforms like LinkedIn and Medium, as well as through his YouTube channel, DataTrek. Abhishek has also delivered guest lectures at prestigious institutions like IIT Madras, Symbiosis Pune, Jindal University , and IIIT Sricity. He has build a modest following within the Data Science community, with around 19k+ followers on LinkedIn and approximately 3.7K+ subscribers on YouTube. Outside of his professional endeavors, he’s a fitness enthusiast and a devoted MMA fan.