As part of Techcombank's (Vietnam Technological and Commercial Joint Stock Bank) 30th-anniversary celebration events, the bank and Amazon Web Services (AWS) jointly organised the AWS DeepRacer league programming and technology competition from Oct to Nov 2023. The competition provided a valuable platform for Techcombank employees to develop their Machine Learning (ML) skills.
In the pursuit of Transforming the Financial Industry and Enhancing Livelihood Values, Techcombank focuses on building and developing capabilities centred around the pillars of digitalisation, data and talent. AWS DeepRacer plays a pivotal role in advancing this strategy by integrating technology and data into the competition content and creating valuable opportunities for Techcomers to acquire new skills in the application of machine learning.
Equipping with new technology skills and promoting a competitive spirit
The AWS DeepRacer competition is an excellent starting point for Techcomers on their journey to conquer AI and Machine Learning. The eligibility criteria for the competition require Techcombank employees to possess English communication skills and a basic IT foundation in software development, testing and architecture.
Participants can register for the competition as individuals or as part of a team. It is not necessary for players to have in-depth professional knowledge from the beginning. They will be able to engage in training activities, thereby applying fundamental machine learning knowledge to banking tasks on the race.
AWS DeepRacer is also an opportunity for software developers at all skill levels to gain hands-on experience with reinforcement learning through interactive racing competitions where they build ML models for autonomous racing cars on virtual and physical tracks.
Reinforcement learning is a technique that has a different approach to model training than other machine learning methods. Its remarkable advantage lies in learning complex behaviours without the need for labelled data, enabling short-term decision-making while optimising long-term objectives.
“Techcomers at all skill levels, including those with no prior experience in machine learning, can register to participate in AWS DeepRacer and the training programme to practice building reinforcement learning models that will be applied in the competition. The AWS DeepRacer experts will equip players with fundamental knowledge of reinforcement learning through instructional materials, easy-to-use interfaces, and realistic autonomous vehicle models,” said Mr Nguyen Viet Cuong, Chief of the Organisation.
Techcomers participating in the race have undergone a journey of four stages, taking place from October 9th to November 15th. In the final two weeks of AWS DeepRacer, 220 Techcomers had the opportunity to participate in virtual race and apply their knowledge of machine learning in practical scenarios.
The top 12 racing teams with the best performance will advance to the final round held at Techcombank’s Quang Trung headquarters.
A total of 50 teams, comprising Techcomers from different divisions such as Data and Analytics, Enterprise Customers, Financial Planning, Risk Management, and IT, participated in the competition. The top 12 teams with outstanding performances have advanced to the final round, where they will compete for the First, Second, and Third prizes with DeepRacer physical vehicles and track.
The final round of the AWS DeepRacer competition took place on November 15th at Techcombank's newly inaugurated headquarters located at 6 Quang Trung, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi. At this event, the racing cars equipped with software developed by the 12 teams showcased their autonomous operation capabilities and obstacle avoidance skills.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, Mr Jens Lottner, the CEO of Techcombank said, "Techcombank would like to thank AWS for supporting us in organising the AWS DeepRacer competition and providing a high-quality machine learning training programme. It brings me great joy to see Techcomers applying the knowledge they have been equipped with to this thrilling race. I am also looking forward to these new technological capabilities being applied to the operations at Techcombank with the goal of delivering even more outstanding customer experiences."
Mr Santhosh Mahendiran, Chief Data and Analytics Officer at Techcombank emphasised that while the USD7,500 prize is substantial, the true value of the competition lies in the learning experience it provides.
"All racing teams have the opportunity to enhance their competitive spirit and cultivate highly applicable technological skills. This is the true value that AWS DeepRacer aims to achieve and is part of Techcombank's commitment to creating opportunities for employees to enhance their professional skills," shared Mr Mahendiran.
Mr Eric Yeo, the General Director of AWS Vietnam, expressed his enthusiasm for the successful DeepRacer event at Techcombank. He said, "We are thrilled to introduce AWS Deep Racer, the world's first global autonomous racing league powered by AWS machine learning (ML), to Techcombank. The event, which saw participation from over 200 individuals, exemplified the innovative and strategic partnership between AWS and Techcombank in fostering talent development in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. The combination of real-world racing and cutting-edge technology not only provided valuable learning opportunities and skill enhancement but also marked a significant milestone in the practical application of AI and ML."
Techcombank is the first bank to launch the AWS DeepRacer competition in Vietnam, aiming to inspire and provide opportunities for employees to apply AI and machine learning in banking operations. In the future, Techcombank aims to organise the DeepRacer event annually with the participation of teams from countries across the region. This event is also a testament to the close strategic partnership between Techcombank and AWS in their digital transformation journey.
