Begin.AI: When Artificial Intelligence Meets Diversity

Our Founder Karelle got to sit down for a chat with Rima Al Shikh, Founder of the AI company Begin.AI. Specializing in artificial intelligence programming, Begin.AI stands out from other companies because of its diverse team. Learn more about this fascinating company and Founder!

A Source of Motivation

The Founder of Begin.AI was born in Syria. She has been involved in the world of coding and programming since she was a young child.

After spending twelve years in Dubai, she moved to Canada to work as a consultant in artificial intelligence. With her experience working at several different companies, she learnt more about artificial intelligence, especially its complexity. 

A Special Project

With her personal experience in artificial intelligence, Rima quickly understood one very important thing: the process of creating an AI project is complex and time-consuming. In fact, 90% of artificial intelligence projects aren’t ever completed, which causes a significant waste of resources.

That’s when Rima decided to found Begin.AI, which aims to be a solution allowing consumers to launch personalization features, at scale, very quickly and efficiently, for a fraction of the cost.

A Diverse Team

The Begin.AI team is made up of women and members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community, even though that wasn’t necessarily the original goal. Why is it so important to encourage this diversity within the company?

For Rima, it’s a way to give her team a voice. When she was an employee and consultant, she often felt alone. There was only one voice, and it was harder and more frustrating to speak up. Now, with her team, there is not only a good and healthy relationship between employees but also no frustration. Everyone can express themselves as they see fit.

This diversity is also useful from a creative point of view. The company’s goal is to find solutions for consumers with out-of-the-box ideas. This emphasis has led to the recruitment of a team of engineers and designers from diverse backgrounds.

A Tip for the LGBTQIA2S+ Community

Follow your heart. 

Rima says she is more successful when she trusts her instincts, otherwise, she makes more mistakes. We all have that inner voice that reminds us we have made mistakes in the past but kept growing and learning nonetheless. By following that voice, everything will be fine.