Accelerating AI Innovation: Q&A with Unifai CEO, Jesse Creange

Question: Congratulations on the recent acquisition! Can you share with us the driving factors and strategic vision behind this decision to merge your AI company with Akeneo? How do you see our two organizations collaborating?

Answer: From the very beginning, Akeneo caught our attention due to its unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of technology. They share our passion for AI-driven innovation and understand the potential it holds for reshaping industries, transforming customer and product experiences, and accelerating progress. This alignment of vision and company culture made the decision to join forces a natural evolution.

Question: The integration of AI technologies into various industries is rapidly reshaping business landscapes. How do you see the acquisition accelerating the advancement and application of AI solutions, not only within your industry but across the broader market?

Answer: Fueling Innovation Together. What excites me the most about this acquisition is the synergistic power we bring to the table. As we combine our AI expertise with Akeneo’s vast resources and market reach, we create a dynamic force that can drive innovation at an accelerated pace. This means that our existing solutions will evolve, new horizons will open, and we’ll have even more opportunities to make a positive impact on businesses and society.

Question: In the context of the acquisition, how do you envision the evolution of your company’s products/offerings? Are there specific AI-driven innovations or enhancements that you’re excited to bring to your existing customers and new markets?

Answer: This is where the magic truly begins — embedding our solutions. We will be continuing this pragmatic approach to infusing AI into Akeneo’s Product Cloud offering. The first use case that we have the most joint customer success with is in helping retailers/distributors/wholesalers to onboard their supplier’s data into their PIM. It’s a really difficult task and our AI automates and streamlines that process of data collection, cleansing and enrichment.

Therefore the natural first step will be to even more tightly embed our technology with Akeneo’s offering for supplier data onboarding. Keep an eye out in the Spring Release for more information on that. 

After that, from a product perspective, we will be prioritizing the many different areas that we can infuse AI into the product experience management process. We are looking at all the different steps — from data onboarding, to data enrichment and content creation, to data syndication, to performance analytics, to just generally improving the overall product experience.There’s no shortage of ideas and we will be taking the same pragmatic approach to identifying the largest, most difficult pain and resolving it with a useful, friendly accelerator to resolve that pain.

Question: Customers often look for seamless transitions and continued value during acquisitions. How will your company ensure that existing customers experience minimal disruption, and what plans are in place to enhance the overall customer experience as a result of this acquisition?

Answer: We’re a customer-centric company; our commitment to our customers remains steadfast. We understand that our journey is intimately tied to the success of our clients. Rest assured, the transition will be seamless, and our focus on delivering value and exceptional service will only intensify. Our goal is to enhance customer experience, offer our customers even more enriched AI solutions, and support your product experience strategy every step of the way.

Question: What are you most excited about in the next phase of this journey for Unifai? 

Answer: As we step into this new chapter, our excitement is matched only by our gratitude. None of this would have been possible without the support of our incredible team, our partners, and our clients. Your trust has been the driving force behind our accomplishments, and we are dedicated to continuing to earn it.

The acquisition of Unifai by Akeneo marks a pivotal moment in the AI industry’s evolution. With shared vision, a pragmatic approach to innovation, and a deep commitment to customers, this partnership is set to accelerate AI solutions and bring transformative changes to industries worldwide. The future holds promise, and both Akeneo and Unifai are excited to embark on this journey with partners and clients by their side.

To learn more about the Akeneo & Unifai acquisition, you can read the full press release, or explore Akeneo’s AI Center of Excellence.