Banani Mohapatra of Walmart

In an era of information overload, helping users find exactly what they need—quickly and effortlessly—has become a cornerstone of great product design. At the heart of this lies the art and science of personalized recommendations, now accelerated by the power of Generative AI (GenAI) and Machine Learning. This session explores how AI transforms broad, generic search queries into personalized, visually intuitive experiences using token-based refinement systems. For example, a user searching for “laptop” is guided through a GenAI-powered experience that refines their query into tailored, meaningful options such as gaming, lightweight, touchscreen, or under $1,000. We’ll explore how AI is applied at every stage of this journey, from token generation and normalization to data merging, diversity enforcement, and dynamic image generation. The session will also highlight how these innovations positively impact downstream metrics like CTR, conversion, and engagement. Join us to see how LLM-driven logic, ranking models, and NLP are redefining the way users search, discover, and shop.

Biography:

Banani Mohapatra is a seasoned AI/ML leader with over 13 years of experience at the intersection of data science, product management, and enterprise innovation. As a Senior Data Science Leader at Walmart, she builds scalable AI/ML systems that power e-commerce personalization for millions of customers, delivering measurable business impact across the product lifecycle. She has published applied AI research with IEEE in areas including Generative AI, Agentic AI, causal inference, and experimentation platforms, and is a frequent speaker at global AI summits on responsible and enterprise-scale AI adoption. Recognized among the top 1% of mentors on ADPList and an active member of the Women in Data Science (WiDS) community, she also mentors through Prep Vector, collaborating with leaders from Google and Microsoft to help shape the next generation of AI professionals. Her work focuses on bridging advanced research with practical, high-impact AI applications that democratize innovation at scale.