Why does retail AI performance stall even when models keep improving? Often, the issue isn’t the model — it’s the catalog. As product catalogs scale, taxonomy precision slips, attributes fragment, and signals drift out of alignment, limiting search, recommendations, and personalization. Our new eGuide, From Drift to Discipline, outlines a practical execution model for keeping product catalogs AI-ready at scale. 📗 https://lnkd.in/gzqQjZi7 #RetailAI #ProductData #Search #Personalization #AIInfrastructure
Sama
IT Services and IT Consulting
San Francisco, CA 63,517 followers
How AI and product leaders build smarter, safer models—faster.
About us
What Does Sama Do Sama gets your AI project to production—and helps you stay there. Sama is chosen by high-performing GenAI and CV teams across the full AI development lifecycle, combining expert services with reliable execution that scales—delivering results, dependable datasets, and continuity even as things change. Our services cover the full AI lifecycle: ● Data Strategy & Consulting – Aligning data needs to model goals, defining quality standards, and setting the foundation for faster, more confident development ● Annotation & Labeling – Using full-time, domain-trained teams with built-in QA to deliver precise, production-ready training data. ○ Annotation Workflows: Validation, Classification, Tagging, Enrichment ○ GenAI Workflows: Prompt Engineering, RAG embedding, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), Content Moderation & Filtering… ● Model Evaluation – Scoring, ranking, and validating model outputs through structured, rubric-based evaluation and human-in-the-loop review We don’t just deliver data—we embed in your workflows. Our dedicated teams, integrated QA, and platform support accelerate time-to-quality and give you the control and flexibility needed to iterate with speed and confidence.
- Website
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http://www.sama.com
External link for Sama
- Industry
- IT Services and IT Consulting
- Company size
- 1,001-5,000 employees
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, CA
- Type
- Privately Held
- Founded
- 2008
- Specialties
- AI Data Strategy, Data Annotation & Labeling, GenAI Workflow Optimization, Computer Vision Support, Human-in-the-Loop AI, Model Evaluation & QA, Prompt Engineering, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), Content Moderation for AI, LLM Output Scoring & Ranking, Search Relevance Optimization, Product Catalog Data Management, Annotation Accuracy at Scale, Domain-Specific Training Data, AI Quality Assurance, ADAS & Autonomous Vehicle Perception, Structured Evaluation Rubrics, Scalable AI Data Operations, Full AI Lifecycle Support, and Embedded AI Data Teams
Locations
Employees at Sama
Updates
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Our CEO Wendy Gonzalez recently joined The Global Nutcracker podcast from Native Teams for a conversation about building a mission-driven company at global scale. The discussion explored Sama’s founding philosophy that financial independence creates lasting impact, why East Africa has emerged as a digital-first AI talent hub, and what it takes to maintain culture and clarity across a global team of thousands. It’s a thoughtful look at how purpose, people, and technology come together to power responsible AI and meaningful career pathways. Find to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/ghs3wfcH #AI #Podcasts #FutureOfWork #Leadership
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Scaling annotation across multi-view, multi-modal, and temporal data requires more than accurate labels. It requires preserving continuity across space, time, and interpretation. When object meaning or identity drifts, teams face rework, QA bloat, and unpredictable costs. Our new e-book, Synchronizing Space, Views, and Time for Scalable Annotation, outlines a practical execution model for maintaining consistency under production load. Download the guide here. https://lnkd.in/gS8isWUG #DataAnnotation #ComputerVision #AIInfrastructure #MLOps
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A phenomenal delegation of seven trailblazing women — Emily Mwangi, Elsie Kinyanjui, Elsie Gichuru, Agnes Mungai, Macreen Adhiambo Nyamgero, Lydiah W. Njoroge, and Annepeace Alwala — proudly represented Sama at the prestigious 2nd Instinct Women Conference and Awards, held under the powerful theme “Women Who Move Nations, leadership, legacy and impact, ” at the elegant Emara Ole-Sereni ✨👑🌍 It was an inspiring day of connection, learning, and celebration alongside remarkable women leaders from across Africa 💫 Special appreciation to Annepeace Alwala, one of the keynote speakers, for flying the Sama flag high with grace and composure 🎖️🌟 We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Sama leadership for this invaluable opportunity to engage, grow, and stand among women who are boldly shaping the future of our continent 🙏🏾💼💖
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Production AI models don’t stay static once deployed. As data, users, and environments shift, performance can degrade quietly—through input drift, edge-case growth, or KPI erosion that doesn’t immediately trigger alarms. Sustaining model performance requires more than retraining. It depends on structured monitoring, calibrated evaluation, defined retraining triggers, and controlled release workflows that protect production systems. Our latest guide outlines how to detect drift, monitor the right signals, and implement repeatable maintenance practices that keep AI systems reliable over time. Read the full post here: https://lnkd.in/gKFdGinT #ModelMaintenance #MLOps #MachineLearning #ResponsibleAI
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Kenya’s business services sector is stepping onto the global stage. 🇰🇪 Four major operators — including Sama — have launched the Outsourcing Alliance of Kenya (OAK), a private-sector coalition focused on accelerating Kenya’s position as a global hub for business services and digital work. OAK is working toward a roadmap to 100,000 jobs, expanded policy support for high-impact BPO operators, and stronger alignment between global demand and Kenya’s digital skills programs. Initiatives such as an East Africa GBS Summit and an AI Skills Observatory signal a long-term commitment to sustainable growth and youth employment. We’re proud to be part of a coalition helping shape the future of digital livelihoods in Kenya. Via The Star, Kenya. https://lnkd.in/gUUunaSz #Kenya #DigitalEconomy #BPO #JobCreation
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Sama reposted this
Interesting white paper on “Doing AI Differently: Rethinking the foundations of AI via the humanities.” Key takeaway for our work: The next advantage in AI won’t come from more automation alone, but from how intentionally qualitative human insights are designed alongside quantitative computational systems. One concept I found especially compelling (p.24) is Human–AI ensembles - the idea that humans and AI should be treated as a joint system, where qualitative human insight (context, judgment, cultural understanding, and the ability to interpret meaning, nuance and exceptions) actively shapes outcomes alongside quantitative strengths like scale, consistency and pattern detection. Together, this enables stronger collective intelligence in complex decision-making. For Sama, this feels highly relevant. Our strength isn’t just high-quality data, but also the ability to embed context-aware human insight into AI workflows. This paper frames that not as a constraint, but as a competitive advantage: Systems that acknowledge ambiguity, plural perspectives, and real-world complexity are more trustworthy, more resilient, and ultimately more useful. PDF also available here. ⤵️ Happy reading 🧠🙂 https://lnkd.in/gQ8ra9Nq
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We really enjoyed this conversation with Megan McNeil, our Director of Product, in Authority Magazine. Megan talks candidly about curiosity, iteration, decision-making, and what it actually looks like to build a career in AI when the field is moving as fast as it is. She also gets into how she thinks about responsible development, human judgment, and the day-to-day product decisions that shape real-world systems — all things she brings to her work every day. If you’re early in your AI career, building product, or just thinking about how to grow in this space, this is a must-read: https://lnkd.in/gfnkn68u #WomenInAI #ProductLeadership #CareersInAI #ResponsibleAI #WomenInTech
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Our CEO Wendy Gonzalez is keeping busy this year. 📆 She’s been selected to speak at the Women in Tech Global Conference 2026, where she’ll share practical insights on building AI that delivers real business value while remaining grounded in human impact. We're proud to see her voice shaping the conversation as AI continues to scale! Find more details in the post below. #WTGC2026 #WomenInTech #Leadership #WomenInSTEM
I’m excited to share that I’ll be speaking at the Women in Tech Global Conference® 2026 Tech Global Conference 2026 this May! My session, “What does it take to build AI that works for both business and humanity?”, will focus on what really makes AI systems hold up in the real world. From strong foundations and accountability to the role of human insight in performance and trust, this conversation is about building technology that delivers value without losing sight of the people it impacts. Grateful to be part of a global community creating space for more thoughtful, responsible conversations about the future of AI! https://lnkd.in/dHRPDVFf #WTGC2026 #WomenInTech #Leadership #WomenInSTEM
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Taxonomy categorization quietly underpins search, analytics, and AI workflows—until inconsistency starts to creep in. As catalogs and content systems scale, unclear definitions and drifting decisions can quickly degrade relevance, reporting, and model performance. This guide explains how taxonomy categorization works in production, how it differs from attribute extraction and category mapping, and how teams maintain consistency through calibration and ongoing QA. A practical read for anyone managing product, content, or AI systems at scale. 🧭 Read the full guide here: https://lnkd.in/grJXzwh4 #Taxonomy #DataQuality #AIInfrastructure #MachineLearning #ProductData