Martha explores the future of AI at Ericsson

What are you working on at the moment – and at which company?

I work at Ericsson as a Director of Technology Strategy. Since I have a background in Machine Learning, which was the master’s degree I took at KTH, I’m currently working on our Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategy, which is about discovering how this technology will shape our future networks and business.

What can a regular day look like at your job?

I think it’s very diverse. There are days that are “meeting free”, where I mainly work on reading and putting my thoughts down on paper. I read topics ranging from AI breakthroughs in papers and blogs to business intelligence reports on 5G or AI in our industry. What I love most is brainstorming on exciting technology concepts that can fit our business – and what we should do next to bring them in. Of course, there are also days that are more active, in which we discuss our proposals with our business stakeholders, conduct workshops on AI or technical deep dives. Finally, traveling is also part of the job, whether it’s about attending conferences or visiting Ericsson’s R&D units and customer accounts around the world.

Have you worked with anything else since you graduated?

I started working in Ericsson as an intern before I graduated and continued working there after taking my degree. I was very lucky to get into Ericsson’s graduate programme. I had the chance to travel, rotate around the company and try a couple of roles before moving into my latest role. Within the company and in different units I have worked on prototype development, leading a very interesting AI project on autonomous network management, and also on business development on one of our customer accounts in the USA.

Why did you choose this programme at KTH?

After finishing my undergraduate studies, I decided that I wanted to continue my studies abroad. I’m from Greece, so Sweden was quite an unknown place for me at the time. I was already interested in AI when I took my previous degree and I then found KTH’s programme in machine learning, which perfectly suited my interests.

Are there any insights or knowledge you acquired during your studies that have been particularly useful for you in your career?

I would say virtually everything. All the basic concepts of the curriculum helped me build the intuition and foundation necessary for describing and arguing for complex solutions that may or may not work in our business, given the real-world problems we are facing. I think it’s very important to have a strong foundation upon which you can build with upcoming technological advancements.

What was the best aspects of your studies at KTH?

I had the opportunity to study in a beautiful environment – the main campus is very attractive – together with people that inspired me. I also loved the practical aspect of the studies, that is, coding cool stuff, something that was quite new to me at the time.

What is your best memory from your time at KTH?

I remember I had a couple of courses which involved some tough team assignments with strict deadlines. I know it might sound boring, but I really enjoyed all the long hours I spent with my teammates working on these courses. Naturally, I didn’t realise this until after the deadlines. That volume of work made it feel really good to celebrate.

What are your plans for the future?

I don’t like to plan too far ahead. I’m really enjoying my work at the moment. So, for the future, I might stay where I am, or change jobs, or even change country… We’ll see.

What would you want to say to a student who was thinking of applying for this programme?

In summary, KTH is a place where you can develop your competence and it will give you the strong foundation necessary for your future career. It is also a place that is well connected with the industry and also has a great reputation – for good reason. It’s a hub where you can meet people from all over the world and enjoy yourself while learning something that excites you. Plus, the campus is a really great place.